


Star Wars: Saviors of the Broken

by aardvark_french



Category: Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Artist Gerard Way, Awkward Mikey Way, Canon-Typical Violence, Cute Patrick Stump, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, I Just Really Love Pete Wentz, Jedi, M/M, Post-Order 66, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 50
Words: 88,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24186091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aardvark_french/pseuds/aardvark_french
Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…Jedi Padawans Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump probably shouldn’t be alive right now. After miraculously surviving the slaughter of their order, they’re on the run from the Empire. With the Inquisitorius and Darth Vader himself after them, they’ll have to overcome their differences if they want to make it out alive.Meanwhile, crime lord Frank Iero encounters Gerard and Mikey Way, two brothers in need of immediate passage to a remote planet. He soon finds that they have a secret, one that he could use to bring down the Empire.When the Jedi and the Killjoys meet, they find themselves intertwined in a plot to overthrow the Empire. With the help of a pilot, a former clone trooper, and a rebel leader, this unlikely team of rebels might just be able to bring balance to the Force and restore freedom to the galaxy.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way, Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz
Comments: 44
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

_"There is no emotion, there is peace.  
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.  
There is no passion, there is serenity.  
There is no chaos, there is harmony.  
There is no death, there is the Force.”  
\- The Jedi Code, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Patrick Stump stepped through the doors of the Jedi Temple, his lightsaber at the ready. He looked around, gazing at the grand columns and the wide hallways, but he wasn’t here to admire the architecture. The Force was strong here, running through the building, through his fellow Jedi, through every living thing in the whole galaxy. Patrick let it guide him as he entered the Main Hall. 

His assignment was simple. He was supposed to help the Younglings with defensive tactics in lightsaber combat. Normally, this would have been a task for Patrick’s master, but with the Clone Wars in full swing, Master Mundi had sent his apprentice instead. 

Patrick took a deep breath as he opened the door to the Training Rooms. He knew he wasn’t prepared for this: it had only been a few years since he’d been a Youngling himself. He’d learned a lot fighting alongside Master Mundi, but surely, he wasn’t ready to teach yet. 

As soon as he opened the door, a tiny girl ran up to him. “Master Stump?” she said. 

Patrick laughed. “You don’t have to call me that,” he said. “I’m still a Padawan.” 

“Master Stump, my finger hurts,” the girl said. 

Patrick bent down and inspected the girl’s finger. There didn’t appear to be anything wrong, but he said, “I’m going to go get you a bandage, but it’s going to be okay. Just give me one second, and I’ll be back.” 

“You promise?” 

“I promise,” Patrick said. He got up and headed upstairs to find a bandage for the girl, but as he ascended the staircase, he ran into Pete Wentz. 

“What are you doing here?” Patrick asked Pete as he looked him over. He’d met Pete a few times before - they’d been in the same Youngling clan once or twice - but they’d gone their separate ways after the Initiate Trials. Patrick remembered him as an unruly, obnoxious kid who couldn’t go to class without looking like a raccoon. It was a small miracle that Pete was still on track to become a Jedi Knight. Of course, he’d changed quite a bit in the time since they’d last seen each other. Back then, he was an awkward, acne-ridden thirteen year old, but he’d since grown into a shockingly handsome young man. 

“I’m looking for a book,” Pete said. “My master wants a copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters,_ and she sent me to find it in the Ancient Texts Library. What are you doing here? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” 

“Teaching Younglings,” Patrick said in a small, nervous voice. He tried to fight back the butterflies in his stomach, knowing that he couldn’t let Pete make him feel this way, but it was no use. 

“Wow, they’re letting you do that?” 

“Master Mundi had to be on Mygeeto.”

“That’s still really neat.” Patrick was about to walk away when Pete asked, “Hey Patrick, do you happen to know where the Ancient Texts Library is? I haven’t been in the temple in a while.” 

“It’s upstairs,” Patrick said. “I’ll...I’ll take you there.” 

Patrick was sure that it would be a quick detour. It couldn’t take that long to find a book, and then he could return to the Training Rooms. Besides, he’d get to spend a little bit more time with Pete. 

Patrick climbed upstairs, and Pete followed him, talking incessantly. “So Master Dystrala, Master Khras, and I fought some battle droids out in the Corporate Sector…” 

“Dystrala’s one of the New Wavers, isn’t she?” Patrick said. 

Pete nodded. “She’s my master, but don’t hold it against me,” he said. “I know Ki-Adi-Mundi and the rest of the council aren’t huge fans of the New Wave.” 

There were a lot of New Wave Jedi nowadays, a fact that Patrick’s master blamed on Mace Windu, although even he distanced himself from the movement. They were dangerous: getting attached to others, giving in to their emotions, dabbling in the dark side of the Force. They claimed that they were still Jedi above all, that they were still loyal to the Republic and to the Force, but Patrick wasn’t so sure. 

Patrick and Pete finally reached the Ancient Texts Library, which turned out to be a tiny room stacked floor to ceiling with old books. There was barely room for both Padawans in there, but Pete and Patrick squeezed in. 

“Are you okay?” Pete asked. “You look a little red.” 

“I’m fine,” Patrick insisted. He tried his best to keep his distance from Pete, if only to keep his heart from exploding. “Which book were you looking for again?” 

“ _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters,_ ” Pete said. 

Patrick looked up at the bookshelves, and he spotted an ancient, leather-bound book on the top shelf. “I think it’s that one,” he said, pointing up at the thick volume. 

Pete reached for it, but he was too short. He jumped, and his fingertips grazed the shelf below the book, but it still wasn’t enough. The book was out of reach. “Maybe you can reach it,” Pete suggested. 

“I’m even shorter than you,” Patrick said. 

“Maybe I can lift you up.” 

Patrick rolled his eyes. “Or you could use the Force.” 

Pete reached his hand in front of him, but nothing happened. “It’s not working,” he complained. 

“Try harder,” Patrick said. 

Pete tried again, but the book didn’t budge. “Can you do it?” he whined. 

“Fine,” Patrick said. He reached his hand out in front of him, took a deep breath, and let the Force flow through him. All of a sudden, the book fell off of the shelf and right into Patrick’s hands. 

“Whoa, that was amazing, Patrick,” Pete said. 

“Thanks,” Patrick said, blushing again as he handed the book to Pete. He didn’t think that getting the book was anything impressive - pulling objects with the Force was a basic skill - but Pete’s praise made him feel like he had done something truly special. 

That was when Patrick felt something, something that he could hardly describe. There was a deep, sudden sadness in his heart as he realized what this meant, these strange fluctuations, all of these souls rejoining the Living Force simultaneously. 

“There’s been a disturbance in the Force,” he said. “It’s...it’s like a thousand fires, all going out at once. Do...do you feel it too?” 

“Uhh...yeah, I think so,” Pete said. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said quietly. “I wonder what happened.”

“We’re in the middle of a war, Patrick,” Pete said. “There was probably just a battle or something.” 

“No, it’s more than that,” Patrick said. “I wouldn’t feel it so strongly if it was just a battle. I think...I think Master Mundi might be dead.” 

He hated to say it, but he knew in his heart that it was true. As Patrick thought about what had happened to his master, a gray fog descended over his mind. Ki-Adi-Mundi had been a mentor, a friend, a father figure to him. Patrick had spent the last three years by Master Mundi’s side, learning the ways of the Jedi, and now, he was dead. He knew that Mundi wasn’t truly gone, that he was one with the Force now, but that didn’t make Patrick miss him any less. 

Patrick tried to remain calm, tried to find comfort in the Force, but nothing seemed to work. He leaned against a bookshelf, tears falling from his face. 

All of a sudden, Pete gave him a hug. “I’m so sorry about your master, Patrick,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to be okay though.” 

“I hope so,” Patrick said, wondering what would happen now. The Jedi Council would most likely let him finish his training under a new master, but he couldn’t imagine any other Jedi living up to Mundi’s example.

Pete let go of Patrick, and for a few seconds, they were both silent. Then, Patrick heard the hum of a lightsaber, followed by a high-pitched scream. 

“What’s happening?” Pete asked nervously. 

“I don’t know,” Patrick answered. “Maybe we should go outside and see. At the very least, we should make sure that the Younglings are okay.” 

“No way,” Pete said. “If there’s an intruder in the temple, we’re safest here.” 

Patrick frantically locked the door as the screams continued. His heart was racing, and he hid in a corner as he heard wailing, loud gunshots, and again, the hum of a lightsaber. 

“I bet it’s Fun Ghoul,” Pete speculated. “There was a rumor going around that he was going to rob the Jedi Temple.” 

“Common criminals don’t wield lightsabers,” Patrick said. 

Pete and Patrick stayed silent for a while, afraid of whatever was going on outside. It seemed like the intruders were nowhere near the Ancient Texts Library, but that worried Patrick even more. What if there were other Jedi in trouble? What if the intruders had found the Younglings? Patrick wanted to help, but Pete had insisted that they should save themselves first, so he stayed in the Ancient Texts Library, panicking over the fate of the others in the temple. 

Patrick heard footsteps, and then a voice. “The door’s locked,” someone said. 

“Blast it open,” a familiar voice replied. 

Pete was about to say something, but Patrick gestured for him to remain quiet. They both ducked, and a blaster fired just over their heads. Pete clung to his book, and Patrick tried to breathe slowly to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest. 

The intruder peeked through the hole in the door, and Pete and Patrick stayed low, hoping that they wouldn’t be seen. The intruder looked into the library for a while and then said, “There’s nobody in there.” 

As the intruders walked away, Pete and Patrick stayed silent. They heard another ear-piercing scream, but by that point, Patrick was just glad to be alive. Pete was right: for now, they just had to survive. 

After what felt like forever, the noises died down. When everything went silent, Patrick waited for a while and then asked, “Do you think it’s safe yet?” 

“Yeah, I think so,” Pete said. 

Patrick stood up and unlocked the door, desperately hoping that Pete was right. The door swung open, and he and Pete left the room. Pete was still holding onto his book as the two of them went downstairs. 

That was when they found the first body. 

The boy was sprawled out on the staircase, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. There was a gaping hole through his middle, as if he’d been stabbed in the stomach with a lightsaber. He looked to be ten, maybe eleven years old. 

_They killed the Younglings too,_ Patrick realized as he stumbled away from the body in shock. Those children were innocent, defenseless, and the intruders had slaughtered them all. Pete carefully tiptoed around the body, and Patrick reluctantly followed him, even though all he wanted to do was break down and cry. 

They headed into the Training Rooms, but when Patrick opened the door, the first thing he found was a tiny severed hand, covered in blood. He looked up, and there were dozens of small bodies scattered across the room, hacked to bits. The girl he had talked to earlier was in six pieces. 

You can’t see something like that without breaking down. You can’t see something like that without losing your faith in the world. You can’t see something like that without it changing you forever. 

Patrick turned away and kept on running, with Pete following close behind. “Is there anyone out there?!” Pete screamed, but nobody answered. 

“I think we’re the only ones left here,” Patrick said quietly. “We have to find Master Yoda and tell him what happened.” 

“Honestly, if Ki-Adi-Mundi’s gone, we might be better off assuming that the other Jedi are dead too,” Pete said. “We...we might be the only ones left.” 

Patrick thought about that for a while. Everything he knew, everything he loved, everything he’d built his life upon was gone in an instant. His friends, his mentors, everyone he knew was dead. It was just him and Pete against the rest of the galaxy. 

“So what are we going to do now?” Patrick asked. 

“Let’s get out of the temple, and then we’ll figure it out,” Pete said. They ran through the halls, trying to avoid the corpses, and eventually, the two of them made it outside. Patrick took a few deep breaths of fresh air, but everything still felt wrong. It was as if the whole galaxy had suddenly been turned upside down. 

That was when Patrick spotted a way out. Outside of the temple, there was an escape pod. It was small, but it could launch him and Pete into the upper atmosphere. If there was another living Jedi out there, or even a Jedi sympathizer, the two of them could get picked up and transported to another planet. They could escape whoever had killed Ki-Adi-Mundi, whoever had massacred all those Younglings in the temple. They could start over. 

Patrick ran into the escape pod, and Pete followed him. It was tight, but they both managed to squeeze in. “Can you pilot this?” Patrick asked. “I can’t reach the controls from this angle.” 

“Not without my astromech droid,” Pete said. 

“What happened to your droid?” Patrick asked. 

“I left her on Tython,” Pete said. “Can you please launch the pod?”

Patrick rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he said. Pete moved over, and Patrick reached for the controls. He let the Force guide him, and soon, the pod began to rise into the air. As he piloted the escape pod upwards, he looked out the window, and he saw layers of clouds below them. 

Pete and Patrick had already lost too much that day. Their fellow Jedi, their order, their whole way of life was gone forever. They didn’t know who had done it, or why they had done it, or if they would find Pete and Patrick and exterminate the Jedi Order once and for all, but as Patrick steered the escape pod into the sky, he had a feeling that they would make it out alive.


	2. Chapter 2

_“Sometimes, we find companionship in unexpected places” - Carenna Zhagel, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Frank Iero, better known to the galaxy as Fun Ghoul, had heard the news about the Jedi. He knew that they had turned against the Republic. He knew that the traitors were dead now, killed by the clone troopers they’d once commanded. He knew that there had been a raid on the Jedi Temple. He knew that Chancellor Palpatine had responded to the Jedi Order’s betrayal by reorganizing the Republic into the Empire. He knew that Palpatine had made himself the Emperor, but Frank couldn’t care less about any of it. For him, there was no difference between a corrupt Republic and a tyrannical Empire. What mattered to him were the diamonds. 

There were dozens of sparkling jewels tucked away in a government vault on Coruscant, worth thousands of credits on the black market. For hundreds of years, they’d been hidden away, but Frank was sure that he could be the first person in the galaxy’s history to break into the vault. He’d been planning this heist for months. Who cared if the vault belonged to the Empire now? The new regime was nothing more than a continuation of the old, and Frank was more than happy to lighten their wallets.

Frank pushed a lever forward, and his ship glided to the ground, landing in a small shipyard in a back alley next to the vault. Already, he loved the handling on his new TIE fighter. The Black Mariah was a small, light ship with incredible speed, and since the Imperial Army was buying up the TIE line starships like crazy, it blended in perfectly with the Imperial fleet. 

Of course, he’d felt the need to customize his ship, and as he stepped outside, he admired the graffiti sprayed across the two vertical wings. There was a spider, a scorpion, a cowboy, a jack o’lantern, a gigantic dog. If he was going to fly a stolen Imperial ship, he might as well make it his own. 

He pulled a bandana over his face, adjusted his bright yellow jacket, and walked down the street, where a motley crew of thugs and thieves had assembled outside of the vault, ranging from a green Rodian to a human girl around Frank’s age to a huge, hulking Wookiee. All of them owed him a favor, and they were repaying him by helping him with the robbery. 

“Fun Ghoul,” the girl said. “You’re late to your own party again.” 

The Wookiee growled, and Frank suddenly took his blaster out of his holster and pointed it at him. “Call me short again, and I won’t be afraid to use this,” he said. It was an empty threat, but the Wookiee went silent. “That’s much better,” Frank said. “Now, why don’t we go over the plan?” 

The others nodded, and Frank reminded them of the details of the heist. It was a simple plan, really. Frank and a few of his associates would bust open the front doors and intimidate the guards, while the others unlocked the back door. While the guards were distracted, Frank would sneak through the vault, find the diamonds, escape through the back door, and unload them into the Black Mariah. Frank was sure that there was no way that the break-in could possibly go wrong. Soon, he’d have those diamonds, and once he sold them, he’d be living in luxury for years. 

The girl and the Rodian headed toward the back, while Frank and the rest of his crew went toward the main entrance. Frank took out his blaster, aimed, and fired a hole through the door. He fired a few more times, and the door crumbled to pieces. 

So far, so good. 

The robbers ran into the vault, and there were only a few human guards and a dozen or so droids blocking their way. Now, Frank was even more sure that he could pull this off. He could fight off bigger groups in his sleep. There was no reason why he couldn’t take on a handful of lightly armed Imperial guards with a heavy-duty blaster. “Let us in to the vault, and we might let you live,” one of his associates growled as Frank fired into the air. 

The guards, to Frank’s surprise, didn’t look particularly concerned. One of them took out a radio and said, “Calling for reinforcements.” 

The Wookiee held up his blaster and took out the guard who had radioed for help, while Frank fired at the droids, knocking them over like dominoes. Another one of Frank’s associates shot another one of the guards, leaving only one guard left. Frank smiled, knowing that he could do this. He was so close to the diamonds he could taste it. 

Then, the reinforcements showed up. 

Frank had never seen anything like them. He’d heard that the Empire was phasing out the clone troopers, but these soldiers, with their white armor and the permanent grimaces on their helmet, were completely new. “I’ve heard about these guys,” one of Frank’s associates said. “They’re stormtroopers.” 

Thankfully, they weren’t very good shots. One of them aimed toward Frank, narrowing missing his head. He ducked down and fired into the crowd, easily taking out two stormtroopers. Another one aimed at Frank and missed again, but he shot the Wookiee right in the heart. 

Frank gasped as his companion fell to the ground. Then, he turned back to the stormtroopers, screaming as he fired his blaster in their direction. He had to get those diamonds now. He couldn’t let his colleague die in vain. 

He would show these stormtroopers why they called him the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy. 

Frank shot down a few stormtroopers, and his fellow robbers took out most of the rest. Soon, there was nothing but white-armored corpses and blood spattered across the floor. While his associates fought off the last few stormtroopers, Frank sprinted down the hallway toward the diamonds. 

He came to a locked door with a keypad next to it. “There’s a code,” he grumbled. He typed in some random numbers, but the door didn’t open. Then, he aimed his blaster at the door and fired, but even on the highest setting, it only made a small dent. He tried typing in some random numbers again, but all he got was an error telling him that he only had one more try before he was locked out. He groaned in frustration. He’d defeated all those stormtroopers. He wasn’t about to let something as simple as a keypad keep him from stealing the diamonds. 

“Try something obvious,” one of his associates suggested from the other room. “Like the day the Empire was founded or something.” 

Frank typed that in, and all of a sudden, the door opened. He smiled as he ran into the vault, the glittering diamonds now in sight. 

He picked one up, admiring the way it sparkled in the light. It was beautiful, but he knew that he wouldn’t keep it for long. He imagined selling it at a market in the Outer Rim, how much money he could get for a precious gem like this. With this diamond, he could get a new tattoo, upgrade the Black Mariah, adopt a puppy, and still have enough money to send to his parents on Chadhillit-5. He’d be rich, and he’d finally have the respect he deserved. He’d be a true criminal mastermind. 

Frank packed the diamonds into boxes and handed them to his associates, who loaded them into the cargo hold of the Black Mariah. They worked quickly, hoping to get all of the diamonds stowed away before anyone noticed that they were gone. Soon, every diamond was in the ship. Frank closed up the cargo hold, still amazed that he’d pulled off the heist. More than anything, he was ready to leave Coruscant and sell the diamonds off-world. 

Frank pulled off his bandana, and he was about to step back on to the Black Mariah when two young men approached him. The younger one appeared to be in his mid-teens, and he had light brown hair and glasses. It was the older one that caught Frank’s eye though. He was in his late teens or early twenties, and he had dyed black hair and stunning hazel eyes. Frank wished that he could get to know this impossibly beautiful man a little bit better, but he had to leave before anyone discovered that he’d stolen the diamonds, so he settled for staring into those gorgeous eyes. 

“Excuse me?” the older boy said. Frank could hear the faint traces of a Coruscanti accent in his voice. “Is...is that your ship?” 

“Yeah, why?” Frank said. 

“My brother and I need to travel to Ilum,” the older boy said. 

“Don’t listen to him,” the younger boy said to Frank. He then turned to his brother. “Let’s just go home.” 

“We can’t go back there,” the older boy said. 

“You’re just being paranoid.” 

“I’m not!” 

Frank interrupted the brothers’ bickering by asking, “Why don’t you just take a passenger ship?” 

“The next ship to Ilum doesn’t leave until next week,” the older boy said. “We need to leave now, and we can’t let anyone find us.” 

“You two running away from home or something?” Frank asked. 

“I guess...I guess you could say that,” the older boy said. 

Frank knew that he should just leave now, that these two would bring him nothing but trouble. On the other hand, he wanted to help them, and getting one more second of the older brother’s undivided attention wouldn’t hurt. 

“Ten thousand credits,” the older boy said. “I’ll pay you ten thousand credits if you can take us to Ilum.” 

Frank smiled. If he was going to get paid ten thousand credits to stare at the prettiest boy he’d ever seen, he had to accept the deal. Then again, if the boy had that much money on him, Frank wondered if he could get even more. “Twenty thousand,” he said. 

The older boy thought about it for a while, while the younger one rolled his eyes. “He’s ripping you off, Gee,” the younger boy said. “Let’s just go home.” 

“Twenty thousand it is,” the older boy said. “But I can only pay you five thousand up front.” 

“I want at least ten up front,” Frank said. 

Again, the older boy considered the offer. “Okay,” he said as he handed Frank a stack of credit chips. “Ten thousand up front, and ten thousand when we get there.” 

Frank couldn’t believe his luck. Not only had he stolen the Imperial diamonds, but now this gorgeous man was paying him more than the diamonds were worth for a simple trip into the Unknown Regions. He wondered who this boy was and where he’d gotten all of those credits, but he was smart enough not to ask. He stuffed the credit chips into his pocket as the older boy shook his hand. 

“I’m Gerard Way, and this is my younger brother, Mikey,” the older boy said as his brother gave him a surly look. “What’s your name?” 

“Frank Iero,” he said, and then immediately wished that he could take it back. He never told people his real name, but the cute boy had made him let down his guard. Now, he’d told two strangers one of his deepest secrets. 

“Thank you so much, Frank,” Gerard said. “This means a lot to Mikey and I.” 

“Stop including me in this,” Mikey said. “This was your idea.”

“I’m doing this for you!” 

Frank climbed aboard the Black Mariah, and Gerard and Mikey followed him. It was a tight fit with three people in the cockpit plus all of the diamonds in the cargo hold, but they managed to squeeze in. 

“I really love your ship, by the way,” Gerard said. “The art on the outside is absolutely incredible. Did you paint all of it yourself?” 

“Most of it, yeah,” Frank said. 

“That’s so cool.” 

“Thank you,” Frank said. He smiled as he started up the ship. The TIE fighter roared to life, and as Frank quickly pressed a few buttons, it launched into the air. Gerard reached over and clung onto Frank’s arm. “Never been in space before?” Frank asked. 

“Not since I was a kid,” Gerard said. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Frank said as he took one hand off of the control panel and held Gerard’s hand. He carefully navigated the Black Mariah out of Coruscant’s atmosphere, passing by a group of Imperial warships and a few merchant vessels. He thought he spotted a Jedi escape pod, but he figured that his eyes were deceiving him. The Jedi were gone now. He sped up as he left the atmosphere, the Black Mariah racing past the other ships as it went straight into outer space. 

“Hang on,” Frank said to his newfound companions. “We’re going to Ilum.”


	3. Chapter 3

_“A true Jedi must remain balanced. We must know when to attack and when to defend, when to fight and when to lie low, when to rely on others and when to rescue ourselves” - Kao Anugh, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Patrick looked out the window of the escape pod, watching a cargo ship fly by. It was the twenty-sixth ship that had passed them just in the last three hours - he’d been keeping count. There was nothing better to do, after all. It was either that or face everything that had happened in the last week: the death of his master, the massacre of the Younglings, the fact that he and Pete Wentz were the only Jedi left alive. 

Patrick had thought that he’d like spending more time with Pete, but it hadn’t worked out that way. They had been stuck together for over a week now, and at every possible opportunity, Pete cracked jokes, did lightsaber tricks, and complained about everything. Instead of doing anything useful, Pete spent his time finding new ways to get on Patrick’s nerves. He was clever, friendly, and hopelessly beautiful, but he was also annoying as hell, and Patrick found that he spent most of his days staring out the window, hoping that he could get off of Coruscant before Pete drove him insane. 

There were bigger problems, of course. Pete and Patrick were getting radio transmissions from Coruscant, and what they heard worried them. Palpatine had turned the entire galaxy against the Jedi, and with each passing day, the likelihood that they would find someone to rescue them dwindled. Sometimes, Patrick wished that he had left the Ancient Texts Library that day, that he had done his duty as a Jedi and protected the defenseless Younglings. He wished that he’d been brave enough to fight, brave enough to die alongside his fellow Jedi, but he’d been a coward, and now, he was stuck in limbo, mourning his master and waiting for someone else to save him. Sometimes, he wanted to disappear completely. 

He glanced back at Pete, who was quietly writing in a notebook, lost in thought. Patrick leaned back and savored the moment - he rarely got any peace on board the escape pod. He studied the thoughtful expression on Pete’s face and wondered what could be going through his head. He listened to the sound of Pete’s breathing, his pen hitting the page, the rush of another ship hurtling by.

All of a sudden, Pete looked up from his notebook. “What’s up, Patrick?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Patrick said. “What were you writing about?” 

“It’s just some poetry.”

“That’s cool. Can I read it?” 

“No,” Pete said. “It’s kind of personal.” 

“Oh, okay,” Patrick said. 

“Hey, I came up with a really good joke,” Pete said. “Do you want to hear it?” Patrick didn’t respond, so Pete said, “Did you hear about the Gungan who became a cab driver?” 

“His name is Car Car Binks,” Patrick said. “You told me that one yesterday, and saying it again won’t make it any funnier.” 

Pete frowned, and Patrick headed back to the window. When he looked back, Pete was screwing a small, round knob off of the control panel. “Pete!” he shouted. “What are you doing?!” 

“If I can get this thing loose, I bet we could play soccer with it,” he said. 

“You can’t just take pieces off of the control panel!” Patrick exclaimed. “What if we need it later? What if the whole ship breaks because of you?” 

“Relax,” Pete said. “It’s not like we’re going anywhere.” 

Patrick scowled. “Put that back,” he said. 

“You’re no fun,” Pete said as he screwed the knob back onto the control panel. 

Patrick’s stomach suddenly growled. “I’m getting kind of hungry,” he said. “Do you want anything, Pete?” 

“Only if you can find some blue milk pizza,” he said. 

Patrick rolled his eyes and headed into the food compartment. He looked around for a while, but all he could find was a single energy bar. This was all that was left of their rations. If they didn’t find a ship soon, he and Pete would starve to death. He took the energy bar off of the shelf, knowing what he had to do. 

He squeezed into the cockpit and approached Pete, who was still playing with the control panel. “There’s only one energy bar left,” he said. “I...I think you should have it. You skipped breakfast this morning.” 

“We should at least split it,” Pete insisted. 

“No, you need this more than I do,” Patrick said as he gave Pete the energy bar. 

“Thank you, Patrick,” Pete said as he tore the wrapper open and took a bite. “You’re my favorite person on this ship.” 

“I’m the only other person on the ship,” Patrick pointed out. 

“You’re still my favorite,” Pete said. Patrick blushed, but Pete, as usual, wasn’t quite done talking. “It would be different if my astromech droid was here though. R1-69 would have gotten us out of here by now for sure.” 

“Is that just a serial code?” Patrick asked, too embarrassed to repeat the droid’s name. 

“Nope, I named her that,” Pete said. 

Patrick rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject. “We’re going to have to find a ship soon if we want to make it out alive,” he told Pete. “Either the Empire’s going to find us, or we’re going to starve to death.” 

“Maybe we just need a better plan,” Pete said as he wolfed down the last of his energy bar. 

Patrick ignored Pete and looked out the window again. “Holy smokes,” he said as he saw a brightly painted TIE fighter soar past them. 

“What is it?” Pete asked. 

“I bet that ship’s friendly!” Patrick exclaimed. “I’m going to try signaling them!” 

“You say that about every ship we see,” Pete said as Patrick frantically pushed buttons on the control panel to signal the TIE fighter. However, by the time Patrick got the signals working, the ship was gone. He slumped against the back wall of the ship, feeling hopeless. 

“It was a TIE fighter, Patrick,” Pete said. “It’s not like an Imperial ship’s going to help us.” 

“It had graffiti on it, so it wasn’t an Imperial ship.”

“TIE fighters are Imperial by definition.” 

“Who cares?” Patrick said. “It’s gone now.” He looked out the window and spotted a passenger ferry. “Hey, maybe they’ll help us!” he exclaimed as he rushed to the control panel. 

“Face it, Patrick,” Pete said. “Nobody’s going to come and rescue us.” 

Patrick looked at Pete again, more desperate than ever. They’d both spent their whole lives in the temple, training to become Jedi Knights, only to end up like this. The order was practically extinct. They were stranded in the atmosphere of an unfriendly planet. They had no food, no water, no way to escape. If death was the last appointment, he and Pete were just sitting in the waiting room. 

“But I have an idea,” Pete said. 

Patrick groaned, hoping that Pete’s idea didn’t involve playing games with essential parts of the ship. “What is it?” he asked. 

“We can try breaking out of the atmosphere and going to a nearby planet,” Pete suggested. “Alsakan’s not too far, right?” 

Patrick sighed. “Pete, we don’t have a hyperdrive.”

“So?” 

“So we can’t go to Alsakan. If we can’t take the hyperspace route, it’ll take us at least three days to get there. The escape pod’s just not built for deep space travel.”

“We can make it.” 

“Not without food and water,” Patrick pointed out. “Besides, Alsakan’s pro-Empire. Even if we somehow get there, whoever murdered the Jedi at the temple could come and kill us too.” 

“We don’t have to tell anyone that we’re Jedi,” Pete said. 

“And how are we going to do that exactly?” Patrick asked. They were both wearing Jedi robes - not exactly the best choice when there was a Jedi-killer on the loose. 

“We’ll figure it out,” Pete answered. 

“And then what are we going to do?” Patrick asked. “The escape pod will be almost out of fuel by the time we get to Alsakan. We’ll be on an Imperial-controlled planet, and we won’t be able to leave. Pete, I really don’t see how…” 

“We’ll get a hyperdrive installed when we get to Alsakan!” Pete interrupted. “Once we have a hyperdrive, then we can go anywhere in the galaxy!” 

“This is the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” Patrick said. 

“Do you have a better one?” 

Patrick thought about it, but he couldn’t come up with a better plan. It was either risking a trip to Alsakan or dying on Coruscant. He stayed silent, knowing that Pete was right. This was their best shot at survival. 

Pete reached over to the control panel and set the destination coordinates for Alsakan. “You’ll have to steer us out of the atmosphere, Trick,” Pete said as he took his hands off of the controls. “The ship will take over from there.” 

Patrick sighed. “Fine, but if we get killed on Alsakan, it will be your fault,” he said as he took the controls. He took a deep breath and let the Force guide him as he cautiously steered the escape pod upwards. 

“Don’t crash into the striker over there!” Pete shouted suddenly. 

“Relax,” Patrick said as he smoothly glided the escape pod between two ships. “I know what I’m doing.” 

Pete still looked on edge. “You’re going too slow,” he said as Patrick looked back at him, annoyed. “All of the other ships are going at least twice your speed.” 

“I’m just trying not to crash the pod,” Patrick said. 

“But you’re holding up traffic!” 

“It doesn’t matter. We’re almost out of the atmosphere.” 

Finally, Patrick looked out the window, and he saw nothing but black. They were in deep space now. Patrick leaned back and let the ship’s autopilot system take off. In three days’ time, they’d land on Alsakan. There were a million things that could go wrong. They could die of dehydration or starvation before they even got there. They could end up stuck on Alsakan forever. Someone might catch them. Someone might kill them. 

But maybe, just maybe, Pete’s crazy plan might actually work.


	4. Chapter 4

_“We must have love and compassion for each and every being in this vast, mixed-up galaxy of ours, but to do that, we must have empathy, trust, and above all, faith. The ways of the Force may seem strange sometimes, but we must listen to the Force and believe in its power so that we can best serve the galaxy and everything that lives within.” - Kendyl Ghasrai, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“So what’s on Ilum that’s so important?” Frank asked. “From what I’ve heard, it’s just another mining planet.” 

Frank knew that he shouldn’t be asking questions, not in his line of work, but his curiosity was getting the best of him. He’d spent the last few hours staring into Gerard’s beautiful hazel eyes, and he wanted to know what he was doing out here, why a pretty boy like him was running away from home. Gerard’s brother was even harder to read - with a face like that, he probably never lost a game of sabacc - but Frank suspected that he was just a moody teenager. Gerard, on the other hand, almost definitely had something to hide. 

“It’s the closest known planet to the edge of the galaxy,” Gerard explained. “Mikey and I...we need to go somewhere the Empire can’t find us.” 

“Don’t listen to him. We don’t need to go anywhere,” Mikey said. “Frank, could you please take us back to Coruscant? I have school tomorrow, and our parents are probably worried sick.” 

“Don’t you dare take us back to Coruscant!” Gerard shouted. “It’s not safe there!” 

“Well, you already paid me several thousand credits to take you to Ilum, so that’s where we’re headed,” Frank said. “There’s no chickening out now.” Mikey scowled, and Frank turned to Gerard. “So what’s so dangerous about Coruscant?” 

“It’s a long story,” Gerard said. “Do you really want me to tell you?” 

“Of course,” he said. 

“You’ll have to promise not to tell anyone else,” Gerard said. 

“I won’t,” Frank said. 

“Okay,” Gerard said. “So I work for the Repub...I mean, the Empire...I’m an artist for the Coalition for Progress. I made posters during the war, and I designed a lot of the new Imperial logos…” 

Frank cursed himself for letting an Imperial on board his ship. If Gerard found out who he really was, found out that he’d stolen the diamonds from the vault, he’d turn him in for sure. He had to be more careful. He couldn’t tell Gerard anything else about himself. He already knew too much. 

“Anyways, I was using a computer terminal one day, and I came across a strange file. I opened it, and it...it had a list of Jedi. There are still some Jedi out there, but just a few. And the Empire has a plan to kill them all. They’re making a new order just to destroy the remnants of the Jedi Order. They’re calling it the Inquisitorius. And when the Inquisitorius is done killing the Jedi, they’ll go after anyone who’s Force-sensitive, even if they were never affiliated with the Jedi Order, even if they’re only children.” 

Frank’s jaw dropped. He’d never liked the Empire or the Jedi, but he never thought that the Empire would go so far as to kill innocent people. The Jedi were traitors, holding up a corrupt government for years and then turning on the Republic out of nowhere, but this plan was overkill. Even the Jedi didn’t deserve to die, and why would the Empire murder all of those Force-sensitive children? They had nothing to do with this.

“I still don’t see what this has to do with you,” Frank said to Gerard. “You’re not a Jedi, are you?” 

“No,” Gerard said. “But Mikey’s Force-sensitive.” 

Frank looked toward Mikey. “Frank, don’t listen to my brother,” he said. “Gerard’s insane, and the Force isn’t real.”

“How could you say that?” Gerard said. “Of course the Force is real! The Jedi use it to move objects with their minds!” 

“Only in comic books.” 

“Those comic books are based on true stories!” 

“Even if the Force was real, and I could use it, wouldn’t the Jedi have taken me away when I was a little kid?” 

“Maybe they skipped you.” 

“Or maybe the Force isn’t real, and I’m not a Jedi.” 

“What about that time when you left your glasses on the table, and they started levitating?” 

“Trick of the light, probably.” 

Frank wasn’t sure who to believe, but he knew that he’d go insane if the Way brothers kept bickering like this for the whole flight. “So Gerard, you want to go to Ilum to keep Mikey safe from the Empire, but Mikey, you think that you’re not Force-sensitive, so you want to go back to Coruscant,” he said. 

“Very good, Frank,” Gerard said. “I knew you had some brains to go with your beauty.” 

“Don’t flatter him, Gee,” Mikey said. 

All of a sudden, Frank had an idea. “You don’t happen to have the Imperial plans with you, do you?” 

“Actually, I downloaded them onto a data pod and then deleted the file from the Empire’s computer system,” Gerard said. “Why do you ask?” 

“No reason,” Frank said. 

There was an opportunity here. Frank knew of a rebel group on Truwel, and their leader, Andy Hurley, was offering a hundred thousand credits to anyone with inside information on the Empire. If he could steal Gerard’s data pod, he could sell it to the rebels. He felt a little bad about betraying Gerard, but he couldn’t pass up this chance. He had to get that data pod.

“So I’ve told you my story,” Gerard said as Frank looked around the ship, searching for the data pod. “Why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?” 

“What do you want to know?” Frank asked. 

“I don’t know,” Gerard said. “Where are you from? Where do you work? How did you get a ship like this?” 

“I’m a freelance trader,” Frank said. “I got the Black Mariah through my job.” Technically, he wasn’t lying to Gerard. He was just stretching the truth a little bit. 

“That’s neat,” Gerard said. “It must be cool getting to travel all around the galaxy.” 

“It is,” Frank said. 

Just as he said that, he found the data pod. It was sitting on top of Gerard’s backpack, like it was waiting for Frank to take it. Frank reached over to steal it, but as soon as he had his hand on the pod, the Black Mariah lurched sideways, causing the data pod to slide out of Frank’s reach. Frank cursed under his breath and put both hands back on the navigation system. 

He checked their coordinates, frowning as he saw where the ship was. He’d expected to be at least in the Expansion Region by now, but they hadn’t even made it to the Inner Rim. At this rate, it would be weeks before they got to Ilum. 

It was the diamonds. With a full cargo hold and three passengers, the Black Mariah was struggling to support all of this extra weight. He had to lighten up the ship if he wanted to make it to Ilum. Soon, he realized what he had to do. 

Frank was about to open his mouth, but Gerard spoke first. “Where are you from, Frank?” he asked. 

“Chadhillit-5,” Frank said, instantly regretting it. He’d told himself that he wouldn’t give Gerard any more information, and yet, he’d already broken his own promise. It was Gerard’s fault, really. He couldn’t keep a secret from a pretty boy like him. 

“I’ve never heard of it,” Gerard said. 

“Nobody has,” Frank said. “It’s in the Outer Rim.” 

“I’ve never been to the Outer Rim, but I’ve heard it’s nice out there.” 

Frank laughed. “Nice” wasn’t exactly a word that most people would use to describe the Outer Rim. Most of the planets in his region were uninhabitable chunks of rock, sparsely populated, underdeveloped worlds, or filthy hellholes, and it was only getting worse now that the Empire was taking over some of the Outer Rim territories. 

He turned back to Gerard and Mikey. “Do you guys mind if I make a few stops before we go to Ilum?” he asked. 

“Depends,” Gerard said. “Why do you need to stop?” 

“I need to unload some cargo,” Frank said. Again, it was technically the truth. He needed to sell those diamonds before they could go to Ilum, and while they were in the area, it might not be a bad idea to land on Truwel and sell Gerard’s data pod too. 

“I guess that’s alright,” Gerard said. “Mikey? What do you think?” 

“I think we should go home,” Mikey said. 

“Mikey, we’re not going home.” 

“We’re running away from Coruscant for no reason.”

“There’s a perfectly good reason, and you know it!” 

“You think I have magic powers.” 

“Because you obviously do!” 

“No, I don’t,” Mikey said. He turned to Frank and asked, “Is there any way you could get Gerard some help? Maybe you could put him in a mental hospital or something?” 

“You can’t put someone in a mental hospital just because they believe in the Force!” Gerard exclaimed. 

“Yeah, you’d have to institutionalize half the galaxy if you did that,” Frank said. He wasn’t sure what he believed in most of the time, but he was sure that even if the Force did exist, there were more important things in life than spending every second of the day carrying out its wishes. Rather than trying to understand the Force, he lived in the present, making his own way in the galaxy. 

While the Way brothers argued over whether or not the Force was real, Frank turned the ship around. He decided to head toward Cloud City first, and if he couldn’t get a good price for his diamonds there, he could try Eriadu or Sullust. He steered the ship in that direction, hoping that Gerard and Mikey wouldn’t ask him too many more questions. 

That was when another ship suddenly collided with the Black Mariah. The ship started spinning, and Mikey screamed as he flew into the control panel, while Gerard clung on Frank. “What’s going on?” Gerard asked. 

“I don’t know,” Frank lied. As the ship steadied itself, Gerard let go, and Frank pulled out his blaster. As he suspected, there was an intruder on the ship. There were a thousand bounty hunters out there looking for him, and the ship that had slammed into the Black Mariah could belong to any of them. 

Frank paced around the ship, searching for the mysterious trespasser. Just as he was about to climb into the cargo hold to see if someone was in there, the intruder dropped into the cockpit through the ventilation shaft. She had green skin, large black eyes, and long tentacles sprouting from her head, and as soon as she saw Frank, she pointed a blaster at his head. 

“Fun Ghoul,” she said. “We meet again.”


	5. Chapter 5

_“Do not hide your robes, your lightsaber, or your devotion to the Force. Be proud of who you are!” - Pala Karaay, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Patrick was curled up on the floor of the escape pod, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. He didn’t have the energy to move, and his whole body felt like it was calling out for food and water. The good news was that the pod was nearing Alsakan, but he didn’t know how he would land the ship in this condition, and he sure didn’t trust Pete to do it. 

“How do I look?” Pete asked. 

Patrick lifted his head, but that only made him feel like everything around him was spinning. He glanced toward Pete, and he could barely make out a patch of his skin, covered in tattoos. “You look great,” Patrick said. After three days without water, his voice was dry and scratchy. He rested his head on the ground, hoping to stop the dizziness. 

“I’m trying to look less like a Jedi,” Pete explained. “I ditched the tunic, but I’m not sure if I should get rid of the outer robe too. Maybe I’ll just modify it a little…” 

Patrick was about to protest, but Pete took off his robe, ignited his bright blue lightsaber, and sliced the sleeves off. He then turned off his lightsaber and put the robe back on, although it looked more like a vest than a robe now. “How about this, Patrick?” he said. 

“Pete, we don’t have time for a fashion show,” Patrick said. “We need to land the ship.” He tried to get up, but he immediately started to feel lightheaded. 

“Patrick, are you okay?” Pete asked. 

“I’m fine.” 

“You don’t look fine. Here, I’ll land the ship.” 

“I thought you couldn’t fly without your droid.” 

“I’ll give it a try,” Pete said. “Just get some rest.” 

“I don’t need rest. I need water.” 

“There’s probably water on Alsakan.” 

Patrick lay back on the ground, knowing that with his luck, Alsakan would probably end up being a desert planet. Meanwhile, Pete took control of the ship. He steered toward the ground, constantly lurching from side to side as he made his descent. Before long, Patrick felt sick to his stomach. He knew that Pete was approaching the ground too fast, but there was nothing he could do. He hung on to the side of the ship, desperately hoping that Pete knew what he was doing. 

Just as they were about to land, the escape pod dropped out of the air and hurtled straight down. Pete yelped and tried to correct it, but that only caused the ship to take a nosedive right into the surface of the planet. “Patrick?!” Pete shouted as he searched for an escape hatch. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” he mumbled as he tried to get up. He’d bruised his elbow, but that was nothing to be worried about. “Is the ship still working?” 

Pete turned it on for a moment just to check. “Yeah, it looks like it.” Then, he opened up the escape hatch. “Come on.” 

Patrick crawled out, and he looked out over the surface of Alsakan. The star Alsakan was orbiting was much brighter than Coruscant’s sun, and it took Patrick a minute to adjust to the light. Once he did, he saw that they’d landed on the side of a road, winding its way into a nearby town. The city wasn’t huge, but it was big enough, and Patrick was sure that they’d find everything they needed there. He stumbled toward the town, and Pete followed him. 

On the edge of town, there was a merchant stand, run by a small, blue creature with a long trunk and large, floppy ears. “Do you have any blue milk pizza?” Pete asked before Patrick could say anything. 

“Pete!” Patrick said. “There’s a menu right here!” 

“Maybe pizza’s on the secret menu,” Pete said. 

“No secret menu,” the merchant said. “We have many traditional dishes from Orto though! The special is very good!” 

“We’ll have two of the special and about thirty glasses of water, please,” Patrick said as he placed a stack of credit chips in the merchant’s hand. 

“Thirty glasses of water?” Pete said. “Really?” 

“I’m really thirsty,” Patrick said. 

They waited for a while, and eventually, the merchant brought them their food. Pete and Patrick carried it all back to the escape pod, and once they were there, they split up the food and water. The special turned out to be nothing more than a bowl of brown goo, and it tasted almost as bad as it looked, but Patrick wolfed it down anyways. It was better than nothing. 

“I told you this would all work out,” Pete said as he finished the last of his food. 

“I guess you were right,” Patrick said, feeling better now that he’d eaten. He turned toward Pete, and he finally got a good look at him. Pete was right: he looked more like a punk rock kid than a Jedi now. His deep brown eyes were caked in eyeliner, and he’d taken off his tunic, revealing his intricately tattooed arms. Patrick wondered what those tattoos could possibly mean. 

“So what are we going to do now?” Pete asked. 

“You talked about getting a hyperdrive,” Patrick said. “Maybe we should do that next.” 

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Pete said. 

Patrick got up and headed back toward the merchant stand. “Hey, thanks for the food,” he said to the merchant. “Do you happen to know any mechanics in town? We need to fix up our starship.” 

“Laura Jane Grace’s repair shop is just down the road,” the merchant said. “She’s the best mechanic in the galaxy!” 

“Great, thank you,” Patrick said. He walked down the road, and Pete followed him. 

As they headed into town, Pete and Patrick passed by shops, stands, outdoor markets, houses, cantinas, and more. There were souvenir shops, fruit sellers, hat sellers, florists, metalworkers, artists, pilots, fortune tellers, amateur musicians, and many more. It seemed like the voices of shopkeepers, tourists, and residents went on forever in the beating heart of the city. 

Patrick was about to point out a sign for Laura’s Ship Repair when all of a sudden, Pete swiped a black fedora from the hat seller and promptly placed it on Patrick’s head. “Pete!” Patrick exclaimed. “Give it back!” 

“You can’t go into that shop looking like a Jedi,” Pete said quietly. 

“Stealing is against the Jedi Code.”

“No, it’s not.” 

“Yes, it is. Anyways, we were fine at the food stall. You shouldn’t have taken the hat.” 

“You were the one who was concerned about landing on an Imperial planet. Besides, you look super cute right now, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.” 

Patrick blushed, sprinted over to the hat stand, placed a few credit chips on the counter, and ran back to Pete. “There,” he said. “At least we’ve paid for it now. Let’s go to Laura’s.” 

Pete and Patrick ducked into the repair shop, and they were greeted by a woman who looked to be only a few years older than they were. “Hey,” she said as she pulled her messy brown hair away from her face. “How can I help you?” 

“Are you Laura Jane Grace?” Pete asked. The woman nodded. “We’re looking for a hyperdrive installation.” 

“And I’m looking for a revolution,” Laura said. “Where’s your ship?” 

“It’s on the edge of town.” 

“Can you fly it here?” 

“Patrick? Would you mind?” 

“Yeah, I can do that,” Patrick said. He left the shop, and as he walked back through town, he thought about everything that had happened. Already, he missed the temple. His life as a Padawan hadn’t been perfect, but at least he’d always known the right course of action. He’d had his master and his order to guide him, but now, all he had was a thief as his traveling companion. Patrick still didn’t know how he felt about Pete, but he couldn’t be angry with him for long. After all, Patrick wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t for him. 

Patrick climbed into the escape pod and launched it straight upwards. Once it was in the air, he flew it over the town, heading toward Laura’s shop. Patrick looked out the window, amazed by how the city looked so tiny from up here. He turned back toward the control panel, and he carefully lowered the escape pod onto Laura’s landing pad. As soon as he was sure that everything was in place, he climbed out, and he immediately heard Pete’s voice. 

“You won’t remember that we were here,” Pete said as he waved his hand in front of Laura’s face. 

“What are you trying to do, a Jedi Mind Trick?” Laura said. “It’s not going to work.” 

“I wasn’t trying to do a mind trick.” 

“Sure,” Laura said skeptically. She then turned to Patrick. “You want a hyperdrive for that thing? It’s obviously not built for deep space travel. You might be better off buying a new ship instead.” 

“We don’t have the credits for a new ship,” Patrick explained. 

“Okay,” Laura said. “I’ll install a hyperdrive on this one then. Just give me a few minutes.” She climbed into the ship, leaving Pete and Patrick alone together. 

“You tried to do a Jedi Mind Trick on her!” Patrick exclaimed as soon as Laura was gone. 

“So?” Pete said. 

“So you’re going to blow our cover!” 

“If it had worked…”

“But it didn’t work.” 

“I thought it would! I guess she’s just too strong-willed.” 

“And now she knows that we’re Jedi.” 

“Maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she thought I was just messing around.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense.” 

Pete waved his hand in front of Patrick’s face. “You don’t want to argue with me. You’ll save the sass for when we get someone safe. Also, you think I’m your best friend, your partner in crime, and the hottest guy in the galaxy…” 

“You’re trying to do a mind trick on _me?_ ” Patrick said. “Pete, you can’t do a Jedi Mind Trick on another Jedi! That’s not how the Force works!” 

Pete frowned, and Laura finally stepped out of the escape pod. “I think I’ve got the hyperdrive installed,” she said. “You two can come on in and check it out if you’d like.” 

“Sure,” Pete said. He and Patrick climbed into the escape pod, and sure enough, the ship had a brand new hyperdrive. They checked to make sure that all of the systems were working properly, and then they climbed out again. “Thanks, Laura,” Patrick said as he handed her a small stack of credit chips. 

“No problem,” Laura said. “Are you two taking off soon?” 

“Maybe we could stay on Alsakan a little longer,” Pete suggested. 

“No, we should probably go,” Patrick said. 

“Come on, Patrick. Don’t you want to see the planet?” 

“I’d rather be safe. We need to leave the Empire now.” 

“Why?” 

“You know why.” 

“Maybe you should explain it to me one more time.” 

Patrick sighed and told Laura, “We’ll be back soon.” He left the shop, and Pete reluctantly followed him. “Pete, you know we have to get out of here.” 

“But Alsakan’s such a nice planet.” 

“Whoever orchestrated the raid on the temple might find us here. We have to leave.” 

“We’ll be fine.”

Just as Pete said that, Patrick looked up and spotted a strange ship flying overhead. A huge Imperial Star Destroyer was approaching the surface of Alsakan. Patrick watched it land nearby, and he glanced at Pete as a figure wearing black armor, a cape, and a helmet approached them. Patrick could hear the mysterious figure’s loud, labored breathing as he stepped closer and ignited his bright red lightsaber. 

Patrick didn’t know what any of this could possibly mean, but he definitely had a bad feeling about this.


	6. Chapter 6

_“You must remember that we’re peacekeepers, not warriors. Those among us who are old enough to remember the birth of the Republic still hear the clashing of lightsabers in our nightmares. No matter how dire our situation becomes, we must never repeat our forebears' mistakes.” - Ganrax Tokra, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Gerard gasped. “You’re Fun Ghoul?!” he said. 

“I told you we shouldn’t have gone with him, and you didn’t listen to me,” Mikey said to Gerard. “Now we’re both going to die.” 

Frank didn’t respond. Instead, he pointed his blaster at the bounty hunter as he tried to remember her name. Every bounty hunter in the galaxy was after him, and with the Empire willing to shell out a million credits to anyone who could capture him, dead or alive, he didn’t blame them. It just made it tough for Frank to keep track of all the people who were trying to kill him. He didn’t fire his blaster quite yet, and thankfully, the bounty hunter and her crew stayed still too. 

“Dali Kintung,” the bounty hunter said, as if she’d read Frank’s mind. “I’m with the Bounty Hunters’ Guild.” She smiled and added, “Do you even realize how long the Guild’s been looking for you, Fun Ghoul? And now I’ve finally found you.” 

Frank zeroed in on Dali, making sure that his aim was perfect. If she talked for much longer, he might just have to pull the trigger. This was what she got for attacking his ship, for messing with the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy. 

Dali shifted her blaster and fired at Gerard and Mikey, barely missing the younger of the two brothers. If Mikey hadn’t ducked slightly, she would have hit him straight in the head. “Stop!” Frank shouted. “They didn’t do anything!”

Dali, of course, didn’t listen. Gerard and Mikey both hid in a corner, looking terrified as Dali’s crew members fired at them, thankfully missing every time. Frank winced as he heard the sounds of blasters and Gerard and Mikey’s screams, but he couldn’t help much, not without getting shot. All he could do was try to get the bounty hunters to stop. Mikey and Gerard were innocent, yet Dali wouldn’t stop attacking them, knowing that they had no way to defend themselves. She smiled as she saw just how horrified Frank was, as she heard him screaming to leave them alone. 

Frank channeled his inner rage as he aimed and fired his blaster, taking out one of Dali’s crew members. Gerard rushed to help, but Frank shouted, “Stay back!” He couldn’t risk either of the Way brothers getting hurt. 

While Dali was distracted, he aimed for her heart, but he ended up merely grazing her shoulder. As she yelped in pain, Frank pulled the trigger of his blaster over and over again, picking off each of her crew members one by one. He was angry, angrier than he’d ever been, just because this bounty hunter had dared to pick on two innocent teenagers. He didn’t even care whether he made it out of this fight alive anymore. All that mattered was keeping Gerard and Mikey safe. 

Soon, all of the crew members were dead, and the only intruder left alive on the ship was Dali herself. She rushed toward him, but Frank grabbed her and slammed her head into the wall of the ship. She slumped onto the floor, and for a few moments, the Black Mariah was dead silent. Frank looked out at all of the carnage and then turned back to Mikey and Gerard, both of them still paralyzed with fear.

“It’s okay,” Frank said as he put his blaster back in his holster. “We’re safe now.” 

“You’re not going to kill us?” Mikey said. 

“Why would I do that?” Frank asked. 

“Because you’re Fun Ghoul?” Mikey said. “Isn’t that what you do?” 

“I’m not like them,” Frank said. “I’ve done some really awful stuff, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I don’t kill innocents. Ever.” 

Mikey still looked afraid, but Gerard was more uneasy than anything. Frank worried about them, wondering if they would ever be able to trust him again. He still wanted to take them to Ilum, but he wasn’t sure if he could do that if they knew he was Fun Ghoul. 

Maybe he would regret this one day. Gerard worked for the Empire, after all. Maybe he’d turn him in, but it would be worth it to know that he could still save someone, that there was still some goodness in his heart, that he was alive and had a soul. 

Frank looked around his ship and saw that it was littered with dead bodies and splattered with blood. “I’m going to clean up,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.” 

He dragged the corpses into Dali’s ship, and when he was done, he wiped up the interior of the Black Mariah. Then, he took control of the ship again, his heartbeat beginning to slow now that the fight was over. He disconnected the Black Mariah from Dali’s ship, and he steered toward the Outer Rim. He’d sell the diamonds in Cloud City, sell Gerard’s data pod on Truwel, drop the Way brothers off on Ilum, and then he’d move on with his life. Someday, he’d forget all about his run-in with the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, although he doubted he’d ever forget about Gerard Way.

Frank turned back to look at Gerard. He was doodling in a sketchbook, his gorgeous hazel eyes fixated on the page. Gerard still looked a little nervous, but he mostly seemed lost in thought, like his mind was in another galaxy. He was so cute when he was like this, and Frank hated to interrupt him by asking, “What are you working on?” 

“I’m just drawing,” Gerard said, his eyes still glued to the page. “It helps me relax.” He paused and then asked, “Could you turn a little to the left?” 

“Sure,” Frank said as he turned his head slightly. “Why?” 

“I thought I’d draw a picture of you,” Gerard said. “You have just the right face for it.” 

Frank smiled slightly, and Gerard kept on sketching. “Can I see it when it’s done?” 

“Of course,” Gerard said with a smile. As he continued to draw, he added, “You know, I always thought Fun Ghoul would be taller.” 

“Everyone says that,” Frank said. “It’s not my fault that I stopped growing at age fourteen.” 

“I thought you’d be older too,” Gerard said. “Fun Ghoul’s been around since before the Clone Wars, but you’re what? Nineteen? Twenty?” 

“Eighteen, actually,” Frank admitted. 

“My God, Frank,” Gerard said. “You’re far too young for this.”

“I left home when I was eleven,” Frank said. “A group of smugglers took me under their wing, and I’ve been Fun Ghoul ever since. I hardly know anything else.” 

He knew he was giving Gerard too much information - information that he might send back to the Empire - but he wanted to trust him. He had no idea what Gerard thought of him, especially after he’d killed a whole crew of bounty hunters, but with the way Gerard looked at him, Frank wanted to believe that his traveling companion genuinely liked him. 

Gerard’s brother was a different story. Mikey was still cowering in a corner, too afraid to move. He was afraid of him, and after what he’d done to those bounty hunters, Frank didn’t blame him. “Gerard?” Mikey whispered. 

“What’s up, Mikey?” Gerard said, still not looking up from his drawing. 

“I’m scared,” Mikey said. “Can we please go home?” 

“Absolutely not,” Gerard said. 

“But we’re literally on a ship with Fun Ghoul! We’re going to die!” 

“No, we’re not.” 

“He killed all those bounty hunters!” 

“He did that to protect us!” 

“I can’t believe I have to say this, Gee, but I’m not a Jedi, the Force isn’t real, and Fun Ghoul’s not your friend. We should go home.” 

“I’d rather be on a ship with Fun Ghoul for the rest of my life than send you back to Coruscant right now, Mikey,” Gerard said. He turned back to Frank and said, “Hang on a second. I’m almost done with your drawing.” 

Frank waited for a few minutes, and then Gerard showed him the drawing. He smiled as soon as he saw it. The sketch was incredible. It captured him perfectly, and there was so much love, care, and affection in every stroke of Gerard’s pencil. There was no question about how Gerard felt about him now. 

Frank flipped through the rest of the sketchbook, and there were all kinds of drawings in there, from character studies to Imperial propaganda posters to notes on stories that he’d never written. “Wow,” Frank said. “Your art’s amazing.” 

“Thanks,” Gerard said. 

“No problem,” Frank said. All of a sudden, he had an idea. “Could I draw a picture of you?” 

“Don’t you need to pilot the ship?” 

“I can put it on autopilot for now.” Frank pushed a few buttons on the control panel, and then he picked up a pencil and started sketching. 

“You know, I don’t think you’re nearly as bad as the Empire makes you out to be,” Gerard said while Frank was busy drawing. “You didn’t have to agree to take Mikey and I to Ilum, and you definitely didn’t have to defend us from those bounty hunters. You’re a good guy, Frank, even if you don’t know it yet.” 

Frank smiled. In all his life, he didn’t think that anyone had ever said something so kind to him. He decided that the galaxy needed more creative, compassionate people who didn’t care what everyone else thought, more people like Gerard Way. “Thanks, Gerard,” he said. “That means a lot.” 

He put a few finishing touches on his drawing and then frowned when he saw the final product. He’d tried so hard to capture Gerard’s essence. He wanted to show how talented, caring, and beautiful he was, but his drawing looked like a shapeless blob with a face. He showed it to Gerard, who burst out laughing. 

“It’s okay, Frank,” he said. “Drawing people takes some practice. You’ll get better, I promise.” 

“I’m better at drawing dogs,” Frank said. “I have a lot of them at home.” 

“That’s adorable,” Gerard said.

“Yeah,” Frank said. “I miss them so much.” 

“You know what I miss?” Gerard said. 

“Home? Mom and Dad? Having a normal, sane brother?” Mikey interjected. 

“Shut up, Mikey,” Gerard said. “I miss coffee. I haven’t had any since we left Coruscant.” 

“Hey, I know there’s a really good coffee shop on Alderaan,” Frank said. “Why don’t I take you there?” 

“Yeah,” Gerard said, smiling. “That sounds perfect.” 

Frank turned the ship around and directed it toward Alderaan. He promised himself he’d get a cup of coffee for Gerard, no matter what. All he wanted was to make Gerard happy, and he’d do anything just to make his new friend smile again.


	7. Chapter 7

_“There is a good reason why we forbid Jedi from marriage. When we love someone, we fear to lose them. Fear leads to anger, hatred, corruption, and ultimately, darkness. As long as Jedi do not become attached to anyone or anything, they can rest assured that they will never fall to the dark side.” - Verrack, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“Patrick!” Pete suddenly shouted. “Run!” 

Patrick turned away from the man in the dark armor and sprinted toward the escape pod, but he ignited his blue-green lightsaber anyways, just in case he had to fight. He gasped for air, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he and Pete ran for their lives. Eventually, they made it to the ship, and Pete frantically tried to open the door. At first, it wouldn’t budge. 

“Patrick, do something!” Pete exclaimed. 

Patrick took a deep breath and let the Force flow through him. Then, he reached his hand toward the door, and all of a sudden, it swung open. Pete smiled, and both of them climbed inside before the man in the dark armor caught up with them. 

“Holy smokes, that was close,” Patrick said as he turned off his lightsaber and took control of the ship. 

“Yeah,” Pete said, trying to catch his breath. “Where are we going now?” 

“I don’t know,” Patrick said as he pushed a few buttons on the control panel. The escape pod slowly began to rise, but Pete glanced nervously at the Star Destroyer. 

“Can’t we use the hyperdrive?” he said. 

“Not while we’re still in the atmosphere,” Patrick replied. “Just be patient, okay?” 

While Patrick steered the ship upward, Pete reapplied his eyeliner. Patrick rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He had to pay attention to what was going on around him if he wanted to make it out of here alive. 

Once Patrick was far enough away from Alsakan, he turned back to Pete. “Do you even realize how ridiculous you look right now?” he asked. 

Pete smiled. “Admit it,” he said. “The makeup looks amazing.” 

“I wouldn’t say that…” 

“You know, makeup is great for a guy. Because it makes a guy look…” 

“Pete, will you focus?” Patrick said. “We need to decide where we’re going.”

“Anywhere where that guy with the helmet won’t find us sounds great, Trick,” Pete said. He pulled out his copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ and started flipping through it, much to Patrick’s chagrin.

Patrick sighed and said, “Put the book down. How about Devaron? I’ve always wanted to go there.” 

“Why Devaron?” Pete said. “That’s such a boring planet.” 

“Boring planets are safe planets,” Patrick said.

“Yeah, whatever,” Pete said. 

“Give me a pen,” Patrick said. Pete groaned, but he handed him one anyways. Then, Patrick leaned over and wrote in the margins of Pete’s book, “BORING PLANETS ARE SAFE PLANETS.” 

Pete sighed. “Seriously, Patrick?” he said. “You just ruined my book.” 

“No, I didn’t,” Patrick said. “You already wrote all over it.” 

It was true. Pete’s copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ was covered in marginalia. Most of Pete’s annotations didn’t even make sense. He’d written things like “Before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger,” “Am I more than you bargained for yet?” and “Pat and I in the wake of Saturday.” 

“Please don’t call me Pat,” he said to Pete when he saw that last one. 

Pete crossed out “Pat and I” and replaced it with “me and Pete.” “Is that better?” he asked. 

“I guess so,” Patrick said. “So are we going to Devaron or not?”

Pete shrugged. “Why not?” he said. 

Patrick set the destination coordinates for Devaron, and he piloted the escape pod toward the nearest hyperspace route. With the new hyperdrive, he was sure that they’d be there in no time. Pete was still busy reading, but Patrick ignored him as he carefully navigated the ship. 

“Hey Patrick?” Pete said just as Patrick was about to shift the escape pod into hyperspace. 

“What?” Patrick said. 

“What’s up with your lightsaber?” Pete asked. “I’ve never seen one that was that color before.” 

“Yeah, even Master Yoda thought it was unusual, and he’s seen everything,” Patrick said. “It’s halfway between blue and green…” 

“Kind of like your eyes,” Pete interrupted. 

“Yeah,” Patrick said. “Kind of like that.” 

“Well, I think it’s very pretty,” Pete said. 

Patrick was about to respond, but by the time he looked back, Pete had already returned to his book. Patrick shrugged and turned on the hyperdrive, and soon, the escape pod was traveling faster than the speed of light, hurtling out of the Core Worlds and into the Colonies. 

Within a few seconds, they were in the Devaron system. Patrick turned off the hyperdrive and piloted the ship toward the planet. Devaron was a small world with a lush, green surface, and already, Patrick couldn’t wait to explore it. He carefully entered the planet’s atmosphere and allowed the escape pod to float to the ground. 

Patrick and Pete climbed out of the pod, and they stopped for a moment to look around. They’d landed in the middle of a dense forest, with trees towering all around them. “Come on, Patrick,” Pete said. “Couldn’t you have landed us somewhere closer to civilization?” 

“I think we’re fine just where we are,” Patrick said. “Besides, maybe we’ll get a chance to see the Temple of Eedit.” 

“That’s on the other side of the planet!” Pete exclaimed. He groaned and leaned against a tree. “Maybe we should try finding somewhere to stay for the night. It’s already starting to get dark.” 

“We could just sleep in the ship,” Patrick said. 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Pete said. “We should at least make a fire or something.” 

“Do you even know how to do that?” 

“Master Dystrala always used Force Lightning to start fires.” 

Patrick was horrified. “That’s a dark side power!” he exclaimed. 

“The dark side’s not necessarily bad,” Pete said. “It’s just...dark.” 

“That’s not what Master Yoda said,” Patrick said. 

“Master Yoda doesn’t know everything.” 

“He’s 900 years old!” 

“That doesn’t mean he knows everything,” Pete said. “Just like good cannot exist without evil, the Light Side cannot exist without the dark side. Master Dystrala thought that we should use both sides of the Force without falling to one side or the other. We should be balanced, just like the Force itself.” 

“But the dark side corrupts,” Patrick argued. “You can’t use its powers without becoming evil.” 

“Do you think I’m evil, Trick?” Pete asked. 

Patrick paused to think, but after everything Pete had done for him - convincing him to stay in the Ancient Texts Library during the raid, talking him into going to Alsakan, comforting him whenever this whole situation became too much - the answer was clear. “No,” Patrick said. “I don’t think you’re evil.” 

“Then you can use the dark side without becoming evil,” Pete said. “You just have to be careful.” 

“I’m still not letting you use Force Lightning to start a fire,” Patrick said. 

“Suit yourself,” Pete said. He wandered aimlessly around the forest, whistling some strange tune, while Patrick rubbed two sticks together in an attempt to start a fire. It didn’t work, so he tried again. Over and over, he did the same thing, but nothing worked. 

“Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?” Pete said after Patrick had been trying to start a fire for over an hour. 

Patrick frowned and kept on trying, but he was losing hope. “Maybe we don’t need a fire,” he said. 

“No, we definitely need a fire,” Pete said. He climbed back into the escape pod while Patrick picked up another pair of sticks and rubbed them together. 

A few minutes later, Pete ran out of the escape pod. He was holding something, and Patrick adjusted his glasses so he could see what it was. “Hey Trick!” Pete exclaimed. “There was a lighter in the cargo hold this whole time!” 

Patrick sighed, took the lighter from Pete, and started a fire. Soon, the fire was roaring, and the two Jedi were sitting next to it, enjoying its warmth. 

“This reminds me of all those nights I spent with Master Dystrala and her friends,” Pete said. “It feels like so long ago now.” 

“Yeah, it really does,” Patrick said. “So much has happened since the raid.” 

Pete nodded. “I don’t know why, but today’s been rough for me,” he said. “I just can’t stop thinking about all the Jedi I knew, and how they’re all gone now…” 

In a move that surprised even himself, Patrick wrapped his arms around Pete and embraced him. “Thanks,” Pete said as he held onto Patrick. “I really needed that.” 

“You’re welcome,” Patrick said. 

Pete let go of Patrick and then said, “I’ve been thinking about the raid on the temple a lot lately. Do you have any idea of who could have done it?” 

“No, I don’t,” Patrick said. “There must have been a Jedi involved though. No one else would be able to get into the temple, and one of the attackers definitely had a lightsaber.” 

Pete shuddered. “A Jedi wouldn’t do something like that,” he said. 

“Honestly, for a while, I thought one of the New Wave Jedi started the attack, but now, I’m thinking the man with the black helmet might have been involved,” Patrick said. 

“Or maybe that guy’s just troubled,” Pete suggested. 

“He had a red lightsaber,” Patrick said. “I think he’s more than just troubled. He could be a Sith.” 

“I’m just scared that whoever killed all of those other Jedi is going to show up again and kill us,” Pete said. 

“Me too,” Patrick admitted. “I wish we knew what we were up against.”

“Yeah, but at least we have each other, right?” Pete said. “I don’t know what I would do if I really was the last Jedi alive.” 

Patrick nodded and rested his head on Pete’s shoulder. The sun had long since gone down, and Devaron’s three moons were shining brightly in the sky. As Patrick closed his eyes, he thought about Pete. He still wasn’t quite sure how he felt about him. Sometimes, Pete drove him crazy, but sometimes, he made his heart skip a beat. He couldn’t stand Pete, but he couldn’t stand to be without him either. More than anything, he was afraid of losing him, and he was afraid of facing the rest of the galaxy alone. He knew it was against the Jedi Code to feel this way. He knew he’d become too attached. He told himself that he’d fix this, that he’d let go of his attachment to Pete before he fell to the dark side, but he suspected that it wasn’t quite that easy. For now, he snuggled closer to Pete, promising himself that he’d let go of his emotions when morning came. 

The next morning, Patrick awoke to a loud beeping sound. He slowly opened his eyes, but all he could see was bright sunlight. “Pete?” he said as he adjusted his glasses. “Where’d you go?”

“I’m right here, Trick,” Pete said. Patrick turned around, and sure enough, Pete was there, tinkering with a red-plated droid. “R1-69, this is my friend, Patrick,” Pete said. The droid beeped, and Pete said, “R1 says that it’s nice to meet you.” 

“Uhh...okay,” Patrick said. “How did that thing even get here? I thought you left it behind somewhere.” 

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” Pete said. “Hey R1-69, how did you get here?” The droid responded in a long series of beeps. Patrick paid little attention, but Pete listened carefully. 

When it was done, Pete turned to Patrick and said, “Apparently she was a stowaway on an Imperial ship.” He paused to think and then turned to R1. “Wait a second,” he said. “Does that mean there’s an Imperial ship here?” 

R1-69 responded with a single, high-pitched bleep, and Pete cursed under his breath. 

“Patrick, we’ve got to go,” he said. “There’s an Imperial ship nearby.” 

“Are you sure?” Patrick said. “I haven’t seen any ships around.” 

“You’ve also been asleep for most of the day,” Pete said. “We should go.” 

Patrick nodded and headed for the escape pod, but before he got there, he noticed that there was someone following them. He turned around, and he saw the glow of a red lightsaber. Patrick’s first instinct was to run, but the figure leaped out from behind the trees, did a rather impressive backflip in mid-air, and landed right in front of Pete. He was dressed in black, and Patrick couldn’t help but notice his disproportionately large forehead. All of a sudden, the man twirled his bright red, double-bladed lightsaber and then held it to Pete’s throat. “Any famous last words?” he said. 

“Brendon, is that you?”


	8. Chapter 8

_“Jedi are selfless. We exist only to serve our fellow beings, to offer our love and support to them when they need it most. We must treat even the most distant stranger as a dear friend: after all, each and every person in the galaxy deserves to live and to be free.” - Ayuuri Zorneth, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Gerard was sketching again, and as Frank carefully landed the Black Mariah in a shipyard on Alderaan, he couldn’t help but daydream about whatever he was working on. As soon as the TIE fighter was on the ground, he looked toward Gerard and asked, “What are you drawing?” 

“Just another comic,” he said. 

“That’s cool,” Frank said. “Are you ready to get some coffee?” 

“Give me one more minute,” Gerard said as his pencil moved across the page, frantically writing lines of dialogue. Meanwhile, Mikey looked out the window, exasperated. 

“Hey guys, is it okay if I stay behind?” Mikey said. 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Frank said. He smiled, thinking that he might finally get some alone time with Gerard. 

“Absolutely not,” Gerard said. “We need to make sure that you’re safe.” 

“I’ll be fine,” Mikey said. 

“No, you won’t!” 

“I’ll be safer than I would be with Fun Ghoul around.” 

“Don’t you dare insult Frank! He’s been nothing but nice to us!” 

“Gerard, come on,” Frank said. “Let your brother make some choices for himself.” 

“He’s going to get himself killed,” Gerard argued. 

“I think he’ll be okay, but I’ll lock the ship just in case,” Frank said. “Would that make you feel better?”

Gerard sighed and said, “I guess so.” 

Mikey smiled slightly as Frank and Gerard climbed out of the Black Mariah. Frank, as promised, locked the door, and before long, he and Gerard were walking down the street toward his favorite coffee shop. At last, they were alone together. 

Frank looked around, admiring the river running through town and the majestic mountaintops in the distance. “They call this the Planet of Beauty, you know,” he said to Gerard. 

“I’m beginning to see why,” Gerard said. “I’d stop to draw all of this, but I don’t think I could do it justice.” 

“I think you could. You’re a pretty amazing artist.” 

Gerard laughed and said, “I’m not that good.” 

Frank smiled, wondering how he’d found such a sweet, talented, and adorable guy. For a moment, he wished that he didn’t have to drop him off of Ilum. He wished that he could travel the galaxy with him forever, but he knew it could never happen. It didn’t matter how they felt about each other when they were on such different paths in life. Frank was lucky to have met him in the first place. 

“So where’s this coffee shop you’ve been talking about?” Gerard asked. 

“It’s up ahead,” Frank said. “Follow me.” 

Frank headed through town, going down every back alley until he reached the darkest part of the city. Of course, the underbelly of Alderaan was nicer than the upscale neighborhoods on most planets, but Gerard still seemed on edge. 

They walked past a row of brightly colored wanted posters, listing bounties for criminals and asking for information on the whereabouts of missing children from across the galaxy. Gerard’s eyes went wide when he spotted one that had a picture of him and Mikey on it. 

“Is everything okay?” Frank asked when he saw the expression on Gerard’s face. 

“I designed those posters,” he said. “And now they’ve made one for me.” 

“Did you make the Fun Ghoul poster too?” Frank asked. He pointed to his poster, advertising a million credit reward for anyone who could bring him to the Emperor, dead or alive. 

“Yeah, I did,” Gerard admitted. 

“No wonder they haven’t caught me yet,” Frank said, looking at Gerard’s drawing of a tall, brutish-looking man in a yellow jacket. 

Gerard laughed and said, “I didn’t know you were so handsome!” 

Frank blushed. “Let’s just go to the coffee shop,” he said. He continued walking down the street, and Gerard followed him. Eventually, they came to a small, nondescript shop, and Frank ducked inside. It was dimly lit and filled with all kinds of strange aliens and shifty-looking humans. Gerard had a nervous expression on his face as the two of them approached the counter. 

“Trust me, this place has the best coffee in the whole galaxy,” Frank said. He turned to the barista and said, “Two coffees, please.” 

“Can I get a name for the order?” she said. 

“Fred and Gerard,” Frank said. 

“Fred?” Gerard said. “That’s not your…” 

Frank elbowed him, and thankfully, he took the hint. “Great,” the barista said as Frank pressed a small stack of credit chips into her hand. “I’ll have your order for you in just a minute.” 

Frank and Gerard waited around for a little while, but before long, the barista had their coffee. Frank took a sip, enjoying the creamy, delicious taste. 

“Oh, wow,” Gerard said after he’d taken his first sip. “This really is the best coffee I’ve ever had. Thanks, Frank.” 

“You’re welcome,” Frank said as Gerard downed the rest of his coffee and then rushed back in line to order another one. He soon returned to the table and drank his second coffee almost as quickly as the first. 

“Hey, they misspelled my name,” Gerard said as he glanced at his cup. 

“How’d they misspell it?” Frank asked. “Gerard” didn’t seem like too hard of a name to him. He didn’t know how the barista could possibly mess it up. 

“J-U-R-A-R-R-D,” Gerard said. 

“That’s...almost impressive,” Frank said. 

“Whatever. Their coffee’s really good,” Gerard said. “I’m going to go get some more.” 

Gerard got up to buy more coffee, and Frank watched him as he got back in line. He stared into his hazel eyes and he almost melted when he saw Gerard smiling back at him, but Frank was sure that this was more than just physical attraction. For a moment, he wondered if he should tell Gerard how he felt. He deserved to know, but it wouldn’t be worth it. The two of them would probably never have another moment like this before they had to go their separate ways. They were just ships passing in the night. 

While Gerard waited for his third coffee, the door to the coffee shop swung open, and two stormtroopers walked in. Frank lay low, pretending to be deeply interested in his cup of coffee and his copy of the _Alderaanian Times_ , but it didn’t seem like the stormtroopers were here for him. They headed toward another table on the other end of the shop, where there was a man with long, curly hair sitting there and enjoying his coffee. He didn’t look much older than Frank. 

Gerard came back to the table, clutching his cup of coffee. “Frank, are you okay?” he whispered. “You look a little nervous.” 

“There are stormtroopers here,” he said. 

“So?” Gerard said. “They won’t hurt us.” 

“They won’t hurt _you_ ,” Frank corrected him. 

He still remembered the skirmish at the Imperial Vault, how the stormtroopers there had shot down his associate. For all he knew, they were here on Alderaan to find him and finish what they’d started. Frank returned to his newspaper, but he still kept an eye on the stormtroopers at the other end of the shop. 

“Your serial number, please,” one of the stormtroopers said to the man with the curly hair. 

“Ray,” the man said. 

“Not your name,” the stormtrooper said. “Your number.” 

Ray sighed and said, “RA42660.” 

“Just as I suspected,” the other stormtrooper said. “He’s a defector.” 

The first stormtrooper pointed a blaster at Ray. “Come with us,” he said. 

“What will you do to me?” Ray asked. 

“We’re taking you back to the Imperial Army,” the second stormtrooper said. “Where you belong.” 

Frank took his blaster out of his holster and carefully aimed at the first stormtrooper. If he was lucky, he could take out both of the soldiers before anyone noticed him, allowing Ray to get away safely. He didn’t know the curly-haired man, but if the rumors he’d heard about the Imperial Army were true, then Ray would thank him for this later. 

“Frank, what are you doing?” Gerard whispered. 

“I’m saving Ray,” Frank said. 

“You can’t just kill those guys!” Gerard said. “There has to be a better way.” 

“Like what?” 

Gerard paused and then said, “I’ve got an idea.” 

Frank put down his blaster, but he kept one hand on the gun, just in case something went wrong. Meanwhile, Gerard walked up to the stormtroopers and said, “He’s coming with me.” 

“Who are you?” the first stormtrooper asked. 

“Gerard Way,” he said. “I work for the Empire.” He flashed his employee ID to prove it, and the stormtroopers briefly glanced at each other. “My department has...uhh...special plans for this one. We have orders directly from the Emperor to take him to our office on Coruscant.” 

“Well, if the Emperor said that you should have him…” the first stormtrooper said as he lowered his gun. 

“Come on, Ray,” Gerard said to the curly-haired man. Ray cautiously followed him out of the coffee shop, and Gerard gestured for Frank to come with him. Frank put his blaster back into his holster, grabbed his coffee cup, and ran out of the coffee shop with Gerard and Ray. 

“What the hell just happened?” Ray said. 

“I just saved you from having to go back to the Imperial Army,” Gerard said. 

“Who are you, anyways?” Ray asked. 

“I told the truth, or most of it, anyways,” Gerard said. “My name really is Gerard Way, and I used to work for the Empire. It was in the art department though.” 

“Who’s your friend?” 

“That’s Frank.” Frank was tempted to correct him, but he didn’t bother. He doubted Ray would figure out that he was Fun Ghoul, and even if he did, he wouldn’t turn him in to the Empire. 

“Why did you leave?” 

“It’s a long story,” Gerard said. “What about you? Why did you leave the Imperial Army?” 

“It’s a long story.” 

“I have time.” 

Ray sighed and said, “I was a clone trooper during the war. Fought in the 21st Nova Corps under Ki-Adi-Mundi. It was horrific watching my brothers die every day, but it’s what we were made for. Then, we were given the order. Order 66. It said that the Jedi were traitors and that we had to kill them all, and we did. Mundi and his apprentice Patrick were the only people who treated us clones like we were human beings, but we had no choice. We were forced to kill them. I felt like I was in a trance the whole time. It’s the control chip in my head, I think. It makes it impossible for me to disobey orders. Anyways, when I came to, Ki-Adi-Mundi was dead. I still don’t know what happened to Patrick. I like to think he made it, but realistically, I don’t think he did.

“After all of that, Palpatine declared himself Emperor, and then he said that he was phasing out clone troopers in favor of his new stormtroopers. I was scared of what was going to happen to me and my brothers. We were outliving our usefulness, and after Order 66, I didn’t know who to trust. So I ran away, but I only got to Alderaan before those stormtroopers caught me.”

“That’s awful, Ray,” Gerard said. 

Frank agreed, but he also sensed an opportunity. “You know, I have a friend who could get that chip out of your head,” he said. 

“Really?” Ray said. 

Frank nodded. “You’ll never be forced to obey an Imperial order again.”

“What’s your friend’s name?” 

“Sola Keene. She lives on Kriselist.” 

“How do I get there?” 

“I’ll take you,” Frank said. “But I want twenty thousand credits for it.” 

Gerard rolled his eyes, but Ray handed over a large stack of credit chips anyway. “This is all the money I have,” he said. “I know it’s not twenty thousand, but I promise I’ll pay the rest as soon as I can.” 

Frank counted up the chips. Ray was right: it wasn’t twenty thousand, but it was close enough. He shoved the credit chips into his pocket, realizing that transporting ex-Imperials could be a lucrative business strategy. “Alright, I’ll take you to Kriselist,” he said. “Follow me. My ship’s just down the street.” 

Ray and Gerard followed him, and eventually, the three of them came to the Black Mariah. However, Frank and Gerard both gasped as soon as they saw it. 

The door was wide open, and the ship was completely empty. Mikey Way was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

_“Your life matters. Don’t let anyone forget it.” - Michada Crasar, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“You know him?” Patrick said, glancing back and forth between Pete and the man who was holding a double-bladed lightsaber to his throat. 

Pete nodded. “He’s Khras’ Padawan,” he said. “Right, Brendon?” 

“Amazing,” Brendon said. “Every word in that sentence was wrong.” Pete gave him a confused look, and Brendon explained, “Khras is dead, and I’m not Brendon Urie anymore.”

“Who are you then?” Pete asked. 

“I’m the Fourth Brother.” 

“What kind of a name is that?” Pete said. 

Patrick looked to Pete, who seemed oddly calm, given the circumstances. Somehow, Pete was keeping Brendon - or whatever his name was - distracted, and Patrick wondered if his strategy might just work. Maybe if Brendon kept talking, they would be able to win this fight. 

“It’s the name Lord Vader bestowed upon me,” Brendon said as he pressed his lightsaber closer to Pete’s neck. “And tonight, with the powers he gave me, I’ll be victorious.” 

Pete stepped backwards. “Hang on, Brendon,” he said. 

“The Fourth Brother,” Brendon corrected. 

“Whatever,” Pete said. “Who’s this Lord Vader person?” 

“Oh, he’s incredible, Pete,” Brendon said. “You’d like him a lot. He lets me smoke spice and watch holograms and walk around the Imperial Base shirtless all day.” Brendon went on and on about his new master, who was apparently a cyborg in black armor, but Patrick became more worried than ever when Brendon mentioned that this Darth Vader was a Sith Lord. This confirmed what the Jedi had suspected for years: after thousands of years of silence, the Sith had returned. The dark side of the Force was back with a vengeance, and if Pete and Patrick weren’t careful, it could destroy them. 

As Brendon talked, Pete reached for his belt and ignited his bright blue lightsaber. All of a sudden, he shoved it toward Brendon, using his lightsaber to push him away. Brendon stumbled backwards and then charged toward Pete, spinning his lightsaber as Pete stayed still and balanced, ready to parry his opponent’s blows. 

Their lightsabers clashed, and Patrick watched as Brendon carefully fended off each of Pete’s attacks. His movements were energetic yet graceful, as if this was all a performance, as if he was the star of the show. On the other hand, Pete’s movements were clumsy and ham-fisted, as if he was a nervous Youngling wielding a lightsaber for the first time. However, as he moved out of the way, hoping not to get involved, Patrick was sure that Pete would win. The light side always triumphed over the dark, after all.

Then again, sometimes he wondered why the two sides of Force couldn’t just get along already. 

Pete swung his lightsaber in Brendon’s direction, but he easily jumped out of the way and counterattacked. He defended himself against Brendon’s lightsaber strikes, but there were beads of sweat running down Pete’s face as each attack came closer and closer to hitting him. One wrong move, and Brendon could end his life. 

Pete parried off Brendon’s attacks, but his opponent was too quick, too powerful, too elegant with a lightsaber. Before Pete could do anything, Brendon’s double-bladed lightsaber was next to his face, singing off a few stray hairs. Pete looked terrified, and Patrick wished he could do something, but as he stared into the distance, toward the Imperial ship hiding behind the trees, he didn’t think there was anything he could do to save his fellow Jedi. Torn between helping Pete and keeping the peace, he decided that he was better off staying out of this fight. He stood in the trees, keeping an eye on the lightsaber fight playing out in front of him.

“You know, I don’t want to kill you, but I’ll do it if I have to,” Brendon said as he inched his lightsaber closer to Pete’s head. 

“What do you want then?” Pete asked. 

“I want you to join me,” Brendon said with a smile. “We can serve the Empire and the dark side of the Force together. It’ll be just like old times.” 

“No way,” Pete said. “That’s not happening.” 

“Come on, Pete,” Brendon said. “I know you’ve used the dark side before. Besides, you don’t really want to be caught on the losing side of the war, do you?” 

Pete paused. “I want to do what’s right,” he said. 

“Vices and virtues are one and the same nowadays,” Brendon said. “There’s only power. And you could be powerful. You could rule the galaxy one day if you embrace the dark side of the Force.” 

“Brendon, do you actually believe anything you’re saying?” 

“I told you - I’m not Brendon anymore!” he shouted. “I’m the Fourth Brother!” Brendon moved his lightsaber away from Pete’s face and lunged toward him, narrowly missing his chest. 

“You know, there’s still some good in you,” Pete said as he fended off Brendon’s attacks. “I can tell.” 

“You’ll never get me to come back,” Brendon said. “It’s better on the other side. You’ll see.” 

“Remember what our masters said. Dark can’t exist without light. There has to be a balance...” 

“Our masters are dead!” Brendon shouted as he thrust his lightsaber toward Pete, who moved out of the way just in time. “They were weak! Just like you!” 

Pete rushed toward Brendon and swung his lightsaber toward him, but he aimed a little too high. Brendon easily spun out of the way and attacked once again, and this time, Pete was too slow to parry. There was hardly anything Pete could do now. He was completely defenseless against his old friend. 

To Patrick’s surprise, Brendon put down his blade and lifted his hand. He looked Pete dead in the eye, and all of a sudden, Pete started to gag. Pete put a hand on his throat, but it didn’t do anything. Brendon shifted his hand slightly, and his grip on Pete’s throat tightened. He smirked as he watched Pete struggling to breathe, his skin slowly turning blue. 

“I said it before, and I’ll say it again,” Brendon said. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will if I have to. Just tell me that you’ll join me on the dark side, and I’ll let go.” 

Pete tried to speak, but all that came out were a few strangled sounds. Meanwhile, Brendon kept on tightening his grip, drunk on his own power. 

Patrick couldn’t stand by any more. He ignited his lightsaber and sprinted toward Brendon, his heart pounding. Brendon’s eyes widened at the sight of his blue-green blade, and as he approached him, Patrick sliced through the air. Brendon blocked his swing, but he was distracted enough to release his grip on Pete. As Patrick and Brendon fought, each attack matched with a perfectly timed parry, Pete collapsed to the ground, desperately trying to catch his breath. 

Brendon looked absolutely furious, but Patrick stayed calm as he let his years of Jedi training take over. Brendon’s style was passionate but dancelike, and if Patrick wanted to defeat him, he would have to beat Brendon at his own game. He matched each of Brendon’s moves, feeling the rhythm of his swings and parries. All of a sudden, as their lightsabers clashed, Brendon hesitated for just one second. This was his chance. 

Patrick took one hand off of his lightsaber and held it in front of him. Before Brendon could attack again, Patrick used the Force to push him away. Brendon went flying, and he screamed as he crashed right back into his ship. Patrick used the Force one more time to slam the door, and then he turned to Pete. 

“Come on,” he said. “We have to get off of this planet before Brendon gets back.” 

“Can you help me?” Pete asked, still breathing heavily. 

“Yeah, of course,” Patrick said. He took Pete’s hand and helped him off of the ground. As the two of them ran toward the escape pod, with Pete’s droid close behind, Pete’s hand stayed nestled in his. Somehow, having Pete so close made him feel stronger, like he could do anything. 

Just as they were about to enter the escape pod, Brendon emerged from the Imperial ship, spinning his double-bladed lightsaber once again. Patrick sprinted ever faster, and when he got to the ship, he frantically opened the door, climbed inside, and started up the ship. As Brendon came closer, he pressed a series of buttons, preparing the escape pod for take-off. Before Brendon could get to the ship, it was gliding through the clouds, far above the surface of Devaron. Finally, they were safe again. 

Patrick piloted the ship upwards until they were in outer space again. He didn’t know where they were headed next, but for now, they were away from Brendon, and that was good enough. He turned toward Pete, who was lying on the floor of the ship. His breathing was still labored, but his skin was back to its natural brown. He opened his mouth and said, “Is...is this…” 

“What is it, Pete?” Patrick asked. 

“Is this more than you bargained for yet?” 

Pete smirked, and Patrick rolled his eyes as he turned back to the control panel. However, even as the hours passed, he was still thinking of Pete. He was a wonderful guy, really. Either Patrick was going to kill him, or he was beginning to like him.


	10. Chapter 10

_“Running away from your problems won’t solve them.” - Areta Noko, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“What’s wrong?” Ray asked as he glanced toward Frank and Gerard. Both of them were still in shock as they stared at the Black Mariah, at the empty space where Mikey should have been. 

“The door,” Frank said. “It was supposed to be locked.” 

“And now Mikey’s gone!” Gerard exclaimed. 

“Who’s Mikey?” Ray asked. 

“My brother,” Gerard said. “We left him in the ship, and now he’s gone.” 

As Gerard told Ray about his brother and why the two of them had left Coruscant in the first place, Frank inspected the lock. It didn’t look like it had been tampered with at all, and there were no fingerprints on the door. When he checked his key ring, he saw that the key to the ship was still there. He knew for a fact that there was no other copy. There hadn’t been any foul play. Mikey had gotten out of the Black Mariah on his own, although Frank couldn’t possibly imagine how he had done it. 

“Hey Gerard?” Frank said. 

“What is it?” Gerard asked. 

“If Mikey could go anywhere in the galaxy right now, where would he go?” 

“Probably back home,” Gerard said. “Why?” 

Frank looked towards a set of gray buildings in the distance and said, “I think I might know where Mikey is.” 

As Gerard, Ray, and Frank looked for him, Mikey Way ran past the security booth, feeling suffocated by the stuffy air, the drab, gray paint, the people crowded around him. He knew that this wouldn’t last long though. Soon, he’d be gone. Soon, he’d be far away from Gerard and his delusions, Frank and his villainy, Alderaan and its foreign ways. He’d be home, where he belonged. 

“Hey, you!” the security officer shouted as she pointed straight at Mikey. “I need to see your ticket!” 

Mikey searched through his pocket, but all he had was a leaf of paper ripped from Gerard’s sketchbook. He gave it to the officer, sure that it wouldn’t pass her scrutiny. However, she only gave it a brief glance and then handed it back to Mikey. “You’re all good,” she said. “Have a nice trip.” 

“Thanks,” Mikey said as he shoved the paper back into his pocket. He started running again, this time toward the gates. He glanced out the window, watching a starship take off. In a few minutes, that would be him. He would be on his way home. 

“Last call for Flight #4242 to Coruscant, departing from Gate Five,” Mikey heard over the intercom. “Last call for Flight #4242 to Coruscant, departing from Gate Five.” 

Mikey broke into a sprint, pushing his way through the crowds as he made his way to Gate Five. When he got there, he found a huge passenger ferry waiting for him. It was nearly full, and it was scheduled to take off in only a few minutes, but Mikey was sure he could climb aboard. He stepped onto the ship, but all of a sudden, someone pulled him backwards. 

He turned around, and Gerard was there, looking cross. “What are you doing?” Mikey shouted as he glanced back toward the ship, which was now racing away from the spaceport. “You made me miss my flight!” 

“You were supposed to stay in the Black Mariah!” Gerard exclaimed. 

“I just wanted to go home,” Mikey said. He hadn’t signed up for any of this. His brother could run around with the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy, but he wanted no part of it. 

“Mikey, you can’t go home. It’s too dangerous,” Gerard said. He sighed and added, “Come on. Let’s go back to the ship.” 

At first, Mikey stayed put. He was done with his brother bossing him around. He was done playing along with his crazy schemes. He was ready to take control of his life, but he changed his mind when he saw who Gerard was with. Frank was standing next to him, and there was a clone too, just like the ones he’d seen in Gerard’s comic books. Both of them were scowling at him, as if he’d done something very wrong, and for a moment, Mikey was intimidated enough to follow all of them out of the spaceport and back to the Black Mariah. He knew he was being a coward, but what else was he supposed to do? 

When the four of them made it back to the Black Mariah, they all climbed aboard. It was a tight squeeze, but they all fit. As Frank started up the ship, Gerard asked, “So where are we going next?” 

“Cloud City, I think,” Frank said. “I need to unload some cargo, and then we’ll be on our way.” 

Mikey sighed, wishing that his escape attempt had worked, that he could go home instead of flying to the edge of the galaxy, but there was nothing he could do now. He was stuck. 

Several days went by. Mikey spent his time sulking in a corner and staring out the window and into the nothingness that surrounded them. Ray was a little friendlier, telling his new companions stories from the frontlines of the Clone Wars, but sometimes, he needed some time alone to process everything that had happened. On the other hand, Frank and Gerard spent every waking moment together, chatting and flirting and getting to know each other better. They had everything in common: they liked all the same bands, all the same holograms, all the same comic books. By the time the Black Mariah approached Cloud City, they had a secret language, one filled with references and inside jokes, one that Ray and Mikey would never understand. 

Frank knew it couldn’t last, not when Gerard was headed to Ilum. He dreaded the day when he’d have to say goodbye, but for now, he savored the little moments he shared with Gerard, every time he smiled, every time he laughed, every time he looked at him like he understood everything. Sometimes, Frank considered taking another detour, landing on yet another planet just so he could make this time with Gerard last a little bit longer. 

When they got to Cloud City, Gerard was daydreaming, Ray was taking pictures, and Mikey was still sulking in a corner. “Come on, guys,” Frank said as he climbed out of the ship. “Don’t you want to see Cloud City?” 

“Remind me again what we’re doing here?” Ray said, following Frank out of the ship. 

“I...uhh...need to unload some cargo, remember?” Frank said. 

“Can we come with you?” Gerard said. 

“Yeah, of course,” Frank said with a smile. 

“Can I stay behind?” Mikey asked. 

“Not after what happened on Alderaan,” Gerard said. “Come on, Mikey.” 

Mikey reluctantly climbed out of the ship, and the four of them walked down the street, toward the market. Frank looked around at the soft clouds and the luxury resorts towering over him. Maybe he’d be able to afford them after he sold the diamonds and the data pod, after Gerard and Ray had paid their fees. 

Gerard came a little closer to Frank and whispered, “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah,” Frank said. In truth, he was feeling much better now that Gerard was next to him. 

“You sure?” 

“Trust me,” Frank said with a slight smile. They continued walking, but all of a sudden, Frank spotted an old friend. “Lando Calrissian?” he said. 

“Frank Iero?” Lando said. “It’s so good to see you! How have you been?” He paused and then asked, “Wait a second. Were you the one who stole those droids back from the Hutts?” 

“Lando, don’t say that so loudly,” Frank said. “You never know who might be watching.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Lando said. He turned toward Gerard. “And I’m guessing this is your new boyfriend?” 

Frank laughed, unsure of how to respond. “Hey, do you have time for a quick game of Sabacc?” he said in a desperate attempt to change the subject. “We can chat while we’re playing.”

“Sure, but if you lose, I want your ship.” 

Frank couldn’t bear to lose his ship, but he knew that if he was going to play with Lando, the stakes needed to be high. He thought for a moment, and soon, he came up with a plan. “I’ve got an even better idea,” Frank said. 

“What is it?” Lando asked. 

“I’ve got the diamonds from the Imperial Vault in the cargo hold of my ship,” Frank said. 

“Wait, really?” Gerard said. 

“Yes, really,” Frank said. “You can go in there and check for yourself if you’d like.” 

“Trust me, I will,” Lando said. “I want to make sure you’re not bluffing.” 

Frank shrugged as Lando headed over to the Black Mariah. Frank opened up the cargo hold, and sure enough, the diamonds were still there, sparkling in the light. “If I lose, they’re all yours,” Frank said. “But if I win, I want the Millenium Falcon.” 

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Lando said. “Are you ready to lose, Fun Ghoul?” 

“It’s death or victory, Lando,” Frank said as they headed into a cantina. He turned to Gerard, Mikey, and Ray, and said, “You guys can watch if you want, but I know I’m going to win.” 

“I’m sure you will,” Gerard said. “Good luck, Frank.” 

“Thanks,” Frank said as he sat down at the table. Ray watched intently as Lando dealt out the cards, while Mikey seemed more interested in the sushi he’d just ordered than the game. Frank glanced back at their table for a moment, and when Gerard whispered, “You can do this, Frank,” he smiled. The game began, and with Gerard cheering him on, Frank was sure he would be victorious. 

The objective was simple. He had to aim for a value of 23 or -23 without going over, but when Frank glanced at his cards, he saw that he was nowhere close. “Negative five,” he called out as he took three cards and placed one in the interference field. 

“Sixteen,” Lando said as he took another card. 

Frank glanced at his new cards, but somehow, his luck had gotten even worse. “Zero,” he said as he took another card. 

Lando chuckled. “Too bad we’re not playing the Corellian Spike version. You would have just won,” he said. “I’m at twenty, by the way.” 

Frank kept on taking cards, hoping to improve his score, and at first, his strategy seemed to work. After a few hands, he was at twenty-one. As long as there wasn’t a Sabacc Shift randomly changing all of the card values, he could beat Lando. He took one last card, hoping to finally make it to twenty-three. 

He drew a ten. His score was over twenty-three, and he’d lost the round. Frank sighed, knowing that he still had two more rounds to go. If he was lucky, he could still beat Lando. 

The second round went better. After the Sabacc Shift, Frank and Lando were tied at sixteen, so they had to settle it by rolling a die. Lando rolled a four and then passed the die to Frank. As he rolled, he heard Gerard cheer, and he felt like there was still hope for him, like he might actually win. 

He rolled a six. Frank smiled, knowing that it all came down to the final round. As Lando dealt the cards, Frank tried to think of a strategy, but he couldn’t stop dreaming about the gorgeous boy at the other table. 

When Frank got his cards, he studied them carefully. He was at a ten right now, but he was sure that he could improve his score. He took another card, but it brought him to a -4. Meanwhile, Lando went from -15 to a -22. Frank was almost certain that Lando would win, but he tried his best to draw more cards and improve his score.

That was when the Sabacc Shift happened. Frank looked back at his cards, and he had a seven, two eights, a three, a five, and a negative eight, totaling up to exactly 23. It was a Pure Sabacc. He stared at his cards, almost certain that he’d won. 

“I’ve got an Idiot’s Array,” Lando said as he set his cards on the table. Frank inspected his cards, and sure enough, Lando had an unbeatable hand. “Good game, Frank,” he said. 

“Good game,” Frank said. 

“So I get your diamonds?” Lando said, grinning. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Frank said, a little disappointed. The two of them walked over to the Black Mariah, and Frank unlocked the cargo hold and helped Lando load the diamonds into his ship. 

“Hey Frank, is it okay if we go shopping while you’re unloading the diamonds?” Gerard asked. “I think we might need some better disguises if we don’t want the Empire to catch us.” 

Mikey groaned, but Ray said, “Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.” 

“Me too,” Frank said. “Just come back once you guys are done.” 

“Of course,” Gerard said. He, Mikey, and Ray wandered off, leaving Lando and Frank alone for a few minutes. 

They spent the time catching up, sharing stories of wild heists and dangerous escapades. However, as he talked with Lando, his mind was elsewhere. He was still thinking about Gerard, wondering if a few fleeting moments of happiness with him would be worth the pain that would come when they finally made it to Ilum. Maybe he would be better off if he backed off now, before he was in too deep. 

After all of the diamonds were in the Falcon, Lando said, “I should probably get going, but it was nice talking to you.” He then whispered into Frank’s ear, “By the way, if you and the kid with the black hair dye aren’t together already, then I’m sure you two would make an adorable couple…” 

“Quit trying to meddle in my love life, Lando,” Frank said. 

“I’m just trying to help!” 

“You’re not helping.”

All of a sudden, Gerard, Ray, and Mikey came back. Ray had bought a pair of sunglasses and a black jacket, and Mikey had ditched his glasses and dyed his hair blond, but Frank couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Gerard. His bright red hair perfectly framed his face, and he looked incredible in his brand skinny jeans, blue jacket, and tall boots. “What do you think?” Gerard asked, and Frank nearly melted into a puddle. 

“You guys look great,” Frank said. “Lando, I’ll see you around, right?” 

“Of course,” Lando said. “See you later, Frank.” 

Lando walked away, and as soon as he was gone, Frank smiled. “What’s going on?” Gerard asked. 

“Nothing,” Frank said as he climbed back into the Black Mariah. 

“I know that’s not true,” Gerard said. “You just lost a game of Sabacc, and you’re smiling about it.” 

“I didn’t lose,” Frank said. 

“That makes no sense,” Gerard said. “I saw it happen. Lando had the Idiot’s Array.” 

“I would have won either way,” Frank said. “I lost the game, so I got rid of the diamonds that were weighing down the ship. If I’d won, I would have gotten another ship to carry them. No matter what happened, I would have gotten my way.” 

“That’s pretty clever, Frank,” Gerard said. 

“Thanks,” Frank said. “I’m kind of glad I lost though. Lando’s ship is a piece of junk.” 

Frank started up the ship, and as soon as Ray, Mikey, and Gerard were all aboard, he launched it into the air. It was much faster now that he wasn’t carrying the diamonds anymore, but Frank worried about how he was going to get that money back. Now that the diamonds were gone, he had to steal the data pod. He hated to betray Gerard, one of the few people who cared about him, one of the few people who saw the best in him instead of the worst, but he had to do it. He glanced toward the data pod, still sitting on top of Gerard’s backpack. It was still out of reach, but one of these days, when Gerard wasn’t looking, he would take it. 

Frank piloted the ship toward the nearest hyperspace route, but just as he was about to turn on the hyperdrive, he got a warning from the ship’s safety system. “The stabilizer’s broken,” he said. 

“Is that bad?” Mikey asked. 

“Yes, of course it’s bad!” Frank exclaimed. 

“What are we going to do?” Ray asked. 

Frank paused to think for a moment, trying to keep himself from panicking, and then he finally said, “I know somebody. Somebody who could fix this.” 

He turned the ship around and steered it straight toward Alsakan, the bright skies and dark cantinas of Cloud City already far behind them.


	11. Chapter 11

_“Boring planets are safe planets.” - Patrick Stump, scrawled in the margins of Pete Wentz’s copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

For the first time since they’d left Coruscant, the escape pod was silent. Patrick had circled around the Colonies a dozen times, never with any real direction. He knew that they had to land eventually, but after what had happened on Devaron, he was terrified the Sith would find them again, so he kept on flying back and forth across the galaxy. It wasn’t a great long-term strategy, but at least he and Pete would be safe for now.

As for Pete, he was still recovering from Brendon’s Force Choke. He spent most of his time lying down, reading from _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , or writing more bad poems. Patrick hated to admit it, but he missed Pete’s conversation, his jokes, his random musings. Hopefully, Pete would be back to his old self soon, but for now, he was too depressed to even put on eyeliner. 

“Hey Pete?” Patrick said after he’d made his twelfth lap around the Duluur sector. “Is everything okay?” 

“I’m weighing the pros and cons of breathing,” Pete said. 

“Pete, I’m serious,” Patrick said. “It really seems like you’ve been having a hard time lately, and I...I want to help you.” 

“I guess it’s just really starting to hit me how alone I am,” Pete said. 

“You’re not alone,” Patrick argued. 

“How am I not alone? All of my old friends are dead or on the dark side. I have you, but that’s it. Even if we found another Jedi, how could I know that I could trust them?” 

“We can trust other Jedi.” 

“Are you sure?” Pete said. “Brendon used to be a Jedi, and he used to be my friend too. I thought I could trust him. I thought I could help him find the light side again, but no matter what I said, he wouldn’t listen. It was like I couldn’t get through to him.” 

“He’s too far gone,” Patrick said. “He’s fallen to the dark side.” 

“No, you don’t understand,” Pete said. “Brendon knows better. He would never choose the dark over the light. I can talk him into coming back. I just need to try again.” 

“No way,” Patrick said. “We’re not going back to Devaron.” 

“Why not?” 

“It’s too dangerous.” 

“We can’t keep running forever.” 

“You’re right, but we need to find somewhere safer.” 

“You thought Devaron was safe.” 

“And I was wrong,” Patrick said. 

Pete sighed. “I just can’t believe that Brendon would do something like this. Last time I saw him, he was drinking coffee and showing off his high notes and asking Khras if he could put sparkles on his Jedi robes. Sure, he’d dabbled in the dark side before, but so had all of us. I didn’t think he’d end up like that. I barely recognized him out there. It was like the old Brendon was completely gone.”

“In a way, he is. The dark side’s consumed him,” Patrick said. “I hate to break it to you, Pete, but I don’t think he’s ever coming back.”

There was an awkward silence. Patrick looked into Pete’s deep brown eyes, and he saw all of the sadness, the sorrow, the fear he’d been holding back. He wished he could take all of that pain away, but he knew that nothing could mend Pete’s heart, not after one of his closest friends had betrayed him. 

“You did a nice job fighting him off though,” Patrick said, still hoping to make Pete feel better. 

It was a lie - a white lie, but a lie nonetheless - and both of them knew it. “Thanks,” Pete said. “You were amazing out there though. I mean, you were the one who beat him! I hardly did anything!” 

“That’s not true,” Patrick said. Sure, Pete was clumsy with a lightsaber, but he was brave, passionate, and defiant, and in the midst of a battle, that was what mattered most. 

“It’s true,” Pete said as he took out his lightsaber. “I’m hopeless with this thing. Master Dystrala thought I might be better with a double-bladed lightsaber like the one Brendon was using, but I think I’d just end up stabbing myself.” 

Patrick looked closer at the hilt of Pete’s lightsaber, and he noticed some letters in a strange script, one that he’d never seen before. “What are those letters?” he asked. 

“Oh, it’s in Klossian,” Pete explained. 

“Are you from Ajan Kloss?” 

“I was born there, but I don’t remember it much now.” 

“I guess that makes sense,” Patrick said. “So what does it say?”

“It’s a play on words. I don’t think it would make sense if I translated it to Basic.” 

“Can you try?” 

“It says, ‘Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends.’” 

Patrick rolled his eyes and said, “You have got to be kidding me.” 

“Don’t look so alarmed, Trick,” Pete said. “You’re one of my real friends.” 

Patrick smiled, and for once, he was glad that Pete was here with him. He didn’t know what he would do without him. He couldn’t imagine traveling through the galaxy all alone, with no one to trust. Even two weeks ago, he never could have imagined this - voyaging across the galaxy, fighting off bad guys, befriending Pete Wentz - but this was his life now. There was no turning back. 

“Anyways, Trick, where are you from?” Pete said. “Do you know? I know a lot of Jedi don’t...” 

“I was born on Hosnian Prime,” Patrick said. 

He’d looked himself up in the Archives once, when he was a Youngling. He’d learned all sorts of things: his home planet, his parents’ names, his siblings’ names, the name of the Jedi Knight who had come to take him away. For a moment, he saw a glimpse of a life he could have led. He could have been raised on Hosnian Prime, near the hanging gardens, instead of in the temple. He could have been a part of a family, connected by blood, with parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. Maybe he would have become an accountant, like his mother, or a musician, like his father. Maybe he would have been someone else entirely, if only the Jedi Order hadn’t found him. 

Patrick soon realized that his past wasn’t worth obsessing over. He had to let go of what could have been if he was going to fulfill his potential as a Jedi, and these days, he rarely thought about his homeworld or his birth family. He’d been to Hosnian Prime with Ki-Adi-Mundi before, but he hadn’t thought about that day in the Archives in years, not until Pete brought it up. 

“Hosnian Prime?” Pete said. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard their blue milk pizza is amazing.” 

“It is amazing,” Patrick agreed. 

“Do you ever wish you weren’t a Jedi?” Pete asked as he wistfully glanced out the window. 

“No,” Patrick said. 

“But we could have had normal lives…” 

“If I wasn’t a Jedi, I wouldn’t have met Ki-Adi-Mundi or Yoda.” 

“We would have never met.” 

“Exactly,” Patrick said with a smile. “I know most of my old friends are dead now, but I’m still glad I knew them. I wouldn’t trade my time with the Jedi Order for anything.” 

There was another period of silence, and then Pete said, “I’m still worried about Brendon. I really hope he wasn’t the one who raided the Jedi Temple.” 

“I don’t think he was,” Patrick said. “I think his boss might have been involved though.” 

“Darth Vader?” 

“Yeah. He’s a Sith Lord, and the Sith are the enemies of a Jedi. I’m sure they’re behind all of this.” 

“How many Sith do you think are out there?” 

“Brendon said he was the Fourth Brother, so there have to be at least four, plus Vader,” Patrick said. “There might be more dark side users out there though, and they’ve got the whole Empire behind them.” 

Pete groaned. “This is what I’m talking about, Trick,” he said. “How the hell are we supposed to hide from them?” 

“We might be safer in the Outer Rim,” Patrick suggested. “The Empire doesn’t have as much power out there.” 

“I guess so,” Pete said with a smile. “Maybe we can do this. It’s our time now if we want it to be.” As Patrick smiled back, he added, “So where are we going? Endor? Ryloth? Bespin? Mon Calamari?” 

“How about Utapau?” Patrick suggested. “That’s a safe planet.” 

“You said that last time,” Pete reminded him. 

“The Pau’ans have always been allies of the Jedi,” Patrick said. “They’ll protect us.” 

Pete took a deep breath and said, “I hope you’re right.” 

Patrick held onto the controls of the ship and steered toward Utapau. He was almost as nervous as Pete was, but he didn’t let it show. Hopefully, the two of them would be safe. Hopefully, Brendon wouldn’t find them again. Hopefully, Pete was right. It was their time now.


	12. Chapter 12

_“Never underestimate what you can do. With the Force, even impossible things become possible.” - Altux Wen, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“Frank, why are you going _toward_ the Core Worlds?” Gerard said. “We’re supposed to be leaving the Empire, not heading straight into the heart of it.” 

“I thought we were going to Kriselist,” Ray said. “Isn’t that in the Mid Rim?” 

“Stop panicking, guys,” Frank said. “It’s just a little detour, and besides, it’s not my fault that the best mechanic in the galaxy lives on Alsakan.” 

He smiled as he thought of Laura and all of the memories they’d made together over the years. They’d gone record shopping together, blown up fireworks, talked for hours, played a million games of Sabacc. Even now, with Laura operating a mostly-legitimate business on Alsakan and Frank flying through space and committing some of the biggest heists the galaxy had ever seen, they were inseparable. 

“I just hope we won’t get caught,” Gerard said. 

“We’ll be fine. I’d trust Laura with my life,” Frank said. “Besides, you’ve got red hair now. Nobody will recognize you.” 

“I’m not worried about me,” Gerard said. “I’m worried about Mikey.” 

“Mikey will be fine too,” Frank assured him. “In my experience, people see what they want to see. As far as anyone else is concerned, you’re all part of my gang of outlaws.”

“How is that any better than being a runaway clone?” Ray asked. 

“I have connections, and trust me, they’ll keep quiet about us,” Frank said. 

Ray nodded, and Frank took control of the ship, steering it toward the nearest hyperspace route. As the Black Mariah hurtled through hyperspace, racing toward the other end of the galaxy, Frank glanced at Gerard. He looked beautiful with his radioactive red hair, almost like he was a real rebel instead of a shy, artistic young man with a coffee addiction. His heart pounded as his gaze met Gerard’s, and as he looked into his gorgeous hazel eyes, he almost missed the hyperspace exit. 

The Black Mariah left hyperspace and entered the Alsakan system, but something was very wrong. The ship suddenly veered off-course, and Frank’s frantic attempts to correct the trajectory only made things worse. The Black Mariah tossed back and forth, zig-zagging its way across the system. 

“What’s going on?” Gerard asked. 

Frank tried to turn on the backup systems, but without a working stabilizer, it was no use. “It’s the stabilizer,” Frank said. “It’s causing the ship to go off-course.” 

Just as he said that, the ship swerved toward another planet in the system, and Frank pulled the steering rod to keep it from colliding with the planet’s moon. He then tried to steer toward Alsakan, but the ship was going too fast for him to land. He had to decrease their speed before they crashed into something. 

Frank was staring at the controls, panicking, when Ray said, “Hey Frank, I used to fly an X-42 interceptor, and those don’t have stabilizers. Do you want me to try?” 

“Why would anyone fly without a stabilizer?” Frank asked as he handed the controls over to Ray. He almost never let anyone else pilot his ships, but he trusted Ray, Mikey, and Gerard. Even though he hadn’t known them for long, he knew that he could count on his new friends. 

“It made the ship faster, and the Republic figured we wouldn’t last long anyways,” Ray explained as he gripped the controls, turned off the broken stabilizer, and steered the ship toward Alsakan. Their trajectory was a bit unstable, and Ray was still going far too fast, but at least they’d make it to Alsakan alive. 

“Where on Alsakan are we going exactly?” Ray asked. 

“Laura’s Ship Repair,” Frank said. “It’s in Black Hole City.” 

“Where’s that?” 

“It’s on the northernmost continent, near the Selsaluu Ocean...oh, never mind. How about you take the steering rod, and I’ll control the navigator?” 

“Sounds good.”

As it turned out, Frank and Ray made a good team. As the TIE fighter approached Alsakan, entered its atmosphere, and carefully zeroed in on Black Hole City, they worked in tandem, hollering out directions and coordinates and working together to steer the ship in the right direction. Gerard and Mikey still looked terrified, but Frank knew that this landing could have gone much worse if it wasn’t for Ray. 

When the Black Mariah finally flew into the city, Frank gave Ray a high-five. “Nice work,” he said. 

“Thanks, but it’s not over yet,” Ray said. The ship drifted down onto the repair shop’s landing pad, but all of a sudden, it veered off to the side. Frank and Ray both tried to correct it, but there wasn’t enough time. They made it onto the landing pad, but they’d landed at a strange angle. 

Frank shrugged as he stepped out of the Black Mariah. “Could have been worse,” he said. “Come on, guys. Let’s get the stabilizer fixed.” 

Gerard, Ray, and Mikey followed Frank. “So where are we going after we fix the ship?” Gerard asked. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some more coffee…” 

Mikey groaned. “We already made one coffee run. We don’t need to do it again,” he said. “Besides, I’ve already missed four days of school…” 

“You’ll never use a day of your education anyways,” Gerard said. 

“Gerard’s right,” Frank said. “I’ve learned more from traveling around the galaxy than I ever learned in school.” 

Mikey still looked ill at ease, but Frank didn’t care, not when Gerard was next to him. He thought of that day in the coffee shop, and he worried that they might never get another moment like that one, a moment where they could be alone together. Before long, their time together would end, and Frank would probably never see him again after they made it to Ilum. Already, he wasn’t sure what he’d do without Gerard. 

Frank was still lost in thought when he heard someone call his name. He looked up, and Laura Jane Grace was standing right in front of him. “Hey Laura,” he said. “What’s up?” 

“Not much,” Laura said. “I still can’t believe Palpatine declared himself Emperor.”

“Me neither!” Frank exclaimed. 

“What kind of spineless Senate would let him do something like that?” 

“I don’t know, but at least I broke into the Imperial Vault,” Frank said. “Hopefully that will teach them a lesson.” 

“Nice,” Laura said. “I only threw some bricks through the window of a coffee shop…” 

“How dare you?” Gerard said. “Coffee’s amazing!” 

“I was protesting the system, not the coffee,” Laura said. She glanced at Gerard, Mikey, and Ray and then said, “I see you’ve got some new friends, Frank.” 

“Yeah, I do,” Frank said. “Laura, this is Ray, Mikey, and Gerard.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Laura said. She quickly turned back to Frank and said, “So are you just here to visit, or…”

“My ship’s stabilizer is broken,” Frank said. 

Laura shrugged. “That’s not too hard to fix,” she said. “I’ll just have to get underneath the ship and make sure all the cables down there are properly connected.” 

She climbed up on the platform and slid underneath the ship. “Just as I suspected,” Laura said as she inspected the underside of the ship. “The ion flux cable snapped, causing the stabilizer to malfunction.” She tinkered with it for a while and then said, “Frank, could you pass me that wrench?” 

Frank found a large wrench lying on the table next to him, and he quickly passed it to Laura. She tried to use it and then said, “I might need the smaller one.” Frank looked around, but he couldn’t find a smaller wrench. He told Laura this, and she said, “Look under my workbench. If you can’t find it there, see if you can find something else that’s similar. I’m also going to need another ion flux cable to replace the one that broke.” 

Frank checked under Laura’s workbench, and he tossed her some cables and a few assorted tools. She kept on working, and while she fixed the ship, Gerard sat down and started drawing a picture of the shop. Frank looked over his shoulder, and he was amazed by the amount of detail he managed to put into it. “That’s incredible, Gerard,” Frank said.

“Thanks,” Gerard said. “I might use it as a setting for a comic one day.” 

“You write comics?” Laura said, still trying to detach the ion flux cable. “That’s super cool.” 

“Gerard’s just a cool guy in general,” Frank said. “He draws comics and he knows a lot about music and he has great taste in just about everything…” 

That was when the Black Mariah collapsed. 

Frank screamed as the central part of the ship fell through, crumbling into pieces as Laura scrambled to get out of the way. It was too late though. The ship caved in above her, trapping Laura underneath the ship. Frank wished he could do something, but it was all happening too quickly. Within seconds, the hull of the TIE fighter was inches above her head, and it was all about to fall on top of her. Soon, one of Frank’s closest friends would be dead. 

All of a sudden, Mikey closed his eyes and reached his hand in front of him, and the pieces of the Black Mariah slowly started to levitate. The shards of glass and sheets of metal flew upwards and remained suspended in mid-air as Laura climbed out from under the ship, in shock but still alive. Ray, Frank, and Laura all looked at Mikey in awe, but he didn’t even seem to notice them. 

Frank had never seen anything like this. He’d never seen anyone use the Force before, but he trusted his senses, and he was sure that it was real, that it wasn’t just in his head. In an instant, he knew every story he’d ever heard about the Jedi was true. After all, there was no other way to explain something like this.

Mikey slowly opened his eyes, and he was shocked when he saw the pieces of the ship floating in mid-air. He glanced at Gerard, who only had four words for his little brother. 

“I told you so.”


	13. Chapter 13

_“Good Jedi can find happiness in misery, but the best Jedi can make their own happiness.” - Shane Fable, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

When Patrick looked up, there was a bright green world in front of him, waiting to be explored. He took a deep breath and smiled as he piloted the escape pod toward the surface of the planet. “Hey, Pete,” he said as the ship glided downwards. “Come take a look.” 

Pete got up off the floor and glanced out the window. “What’s the big deal?” he said. 

“We finally made it to Utapau,” Patrick said. 

The whole trip had gone quite smoothly, much to Patrick’s surprise. There were no breakdowns, anomalies, or asteroid fields. They hadn’t been chased or ambushed. Neither the Sith nor the Imperial Army had caught them. As Patrick landed on Utapau, he only hoped that their luck would last. 

As soon as the ship touched the ground, Pete and Patrick climbed out and examined their surroundings. The air was hot and dry, and there seemed to be hardly anything or anyone else around. There was nothing but barren desert landscape for miles around them. 

“Congratulations, Patrick,” Pete said. “You’ve found a planet even more boring than Devaron.” 

“Boring planets are safe planets,” Patrick said. 

“Didn’t we prove that wasn’t true?” Pete said. When Patrick didn’t answer, he added, “I wonder if the whole planet’s like this.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Patrick said. 

He started wandering through the desert, and Pete followed him, along with his droid. As he walked, Patrick thought about everything that had happened, everyone he’d lost. He still hadn’t gotten over the death of his master, and sometimes, he wasn’t sure if he ever would. Pete complained about having troubled thoughts and the self-esteem to match, but Patrick had his demons too. He just didn’t feel the need to broadcast them to the universe. 

Patrick glanced at Pete, with his eyeliner and his tattoos and those beautiful, deep brown eyes, and he smiled. The whole galaxy might have come apart at the seams, but at least they had each other. 

“Where exactly are we going?” Pete asked. 

“I don’t know. I just thought it might be fun to explore.” 

“But there’s nothing here. It’s all just...empty.” 

“There’s got to be something out there.”

“I don’t think there is.” Pete paused and then asked, “Didn’t you say that there was a sapient species on this planet? The Pau’ans or something?” 

“The Utai and Amani live here too,” Patrick said. There were all sorts of aliens claiming this planet as their home, from short, stubby humanoids to gigantic gray ones with sunken eyes. He knew this planet was teeming with life, but somehow, he and Pete had landed in a wasteland.

“I wonder what happened to all of them,” Pete said. 

“Maybe they just don’t live on this part of the planet.” 

“Or maybe someone killed them all.” 

“I hope not,” Patrick said, shuddering. “There have been enough disturbances in the Force lately. We don’t need anyone else getting killed.”

They kept on walking, and soon, they came to a massive sinkhole. As they approached the hole, Pete leaned over the edge, and Patrick had to pull him back. “What are you doing?!” he shouted. 

“It’s beautiful down there,” Pete said. 

“We’ve come this far,” Patrick said. “I’m not letting you die by falling into a sinkhole.” 

“Relax, Patrick. I’m not going to die,” Pete said. “I’ve figured out where everyone’s hiding though.”

Pete pointed into the center of the sinkhole, and Patrick took a step closer. Pete was right. It was beautiful inside. The Pau’ans and the Utai had built houses and shops along the edges - in fact, they’d created a whole city inside the sinkhole. Patrick stared at it for a long time, in awe of the architecture, the hustle and bustle, the beauty of it all. 

“I wonder what would happen if we went inside,” Pete said. 

“Do you know how to climb?” Patrick asked. “Because I’m not letting you jump.” 

He glanced into the sinkhole again, and for the first time, he realized just how deep it was. Jumping into the chasm would surely be fatal, and he couldn’t bear to lose Pete. Maybe he was getting too attached to him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t let go. He was the only thing he had left. 

“Not really,” Pete said. 

“Then we’re not going in the sinkhole,” Patrick said. 

Patrick and Pete walked along the edge of the sinkhole together, and then they kept on wandering through the desert. Patrick looked at Pete again, and he managed to work up the nerve to ask, “Hey Pete, what do all of your tattoos mean?” 

“Some of them are from holograms I like, some of them commemorate important events in my life, and some of them are just designs I thought were cool,” Pete said. “Oh, and then there’s the one I got because I lost a bet to Gabe Saporta.” 

“Wasn’t he kicked out of the Jedi Order?” 

“He left, actually,” Pete said. “Anyways, that’s the one benefit of hiding my identity. I get to show off my tattoos.” 

“They look nice,” Patrick said, blushing as he admired the keyhole on his arm, the barbed wire across his upper chest, the bat with a heart inside that peeked out every time he took off his tunic. 

“Thanks, Lunchbox,” Pete said. 

“Lunchbox?”

“What? You don’t like your new nickname?” 

“I just don’t get why you picked _Lunchbox_ of all things.” 

“I think it’s cute,” Pete said. “Just like you.” 

Patrick blushed again, wondering if Pete might just feel the same way he did, and then he said, “Thanks, Pete.” 

“You’re welcome, Rickster Von Stump,” Pete said. 

“Okay, now I know you’re just messing with me.” 

“I could do this all day if you wanted me to…” 

“I don’t want you to,” Patrick said. “Just Patrick is fine.” 

“Okay, Just Patrick.” 

Patrick rolled his eyes, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, Pete said, “You know, ever since the raid, I’ve been thinking a lot about the meaning of life.

Patrick thought about it for a moment. The Jedi had always said that the Force would tell you your purpose in life, and he’d never thought to question it. All his life, he’d done nothing but follow the will of the Force. The closest he’d come to disobeying it was when he’d gotten a little too close to Pete, but what was he supposed to do when there was no one else in the galaxy he could trust? 

“What do you think the meaning of life is?” he asked Pete. 

“It’s the eternal search for pizza, obviously.” 

Patrick laughed slightly as he adjusted his glasses. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s it,” he said. 

“How do you know?” 

“I can feel it through the Force,” Patrick said. “Pizza’s good, but it’s not important enough to be the meaning of life.” 

Pete frowned when he heard what Patrick had said about his favorite food. “You break my heart sometimes, but honestly, Trick, but out of all the Jedi in the Order, I’m glad you were the one who went into the Ancient Texts Library with me,” he said. “I’m really lucky just to have you.” 

Patrick smiled, and he was about to respond when the wind started to pick up. Soon, dust was blowing through the air, making it nearly impossible to see anything, and he could hardly move without being hit with a gust of wind. “Maybe we should head back to the ship,” Patrick suggested. 

“That sounds good,” Pete said. 

The two of them turned around and started walking back toward the escape pod, but with the wind blowing in his face, Patrick couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him. However, the two of them kept on walking, with Pete’s droid whistling so that they knew where to go. 

Eventually, they came back to the sinkhole. Both of them stepped around it, careful not to fall in. Patrick knew they weren’t too far from the ship now. Once they got there, they could wait out the storm, or maybe they could go to a different part of the planet, somewhere that was a little more hospitable. 

All of a sudden, a powerful gust of wind pushed Pete backwards. He stumbled, trying to regain his balance, but it was too late. He tripped and fell right over the edge of the sinkhole. 

“PETE!” Patrick screamed as he looked over the edge, afraid to see what had happened to his only friend. 

Thankfully, Pete had caught onto a piece of rock not too far below the surface. He was hanging on with one hand, looking terrified as he tightly gripped onto the chunk of rock. 

Patrick reached into the sinkhole, and Pete stretched his free hand upwards, hoping to grab onto Patrick’s hand. Their fingertips grazed each other, but there was no way that Patrick could pull him back up. Pete was too far down.

Just as Patrick was about to try using the Force, Pete’s fingers slipped. He screamed as he tumbled to the bottom of the sinkhole. Time slowed down for Patrick as he watched him plummet, Pete’s fall seemingly endless. He wished that he could do something, anything, but he was completely helpless as Pete became smaller and smaller and then finally disappeared. 

_This is it,_ Patrick realized. His luck had finally run out. The only person he had left was gone forever.


	14. Chapter 14

_“The Force does not belong to us. It was there long before we started using it, and it will be there long after we are gone.” - Oola Kitar, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“You’re a Jedi?” Laura said to Mikey after she’d climbed out of the wreckage of the Black Mariah. 

The pieces of the ship were still floating in mid-air, but when Mikey heard that, he lowered his hand, causing them all to fall to the ground. “No, I’m not,” Mikey said. “I don’t even know how I did that! The Force isn’t even real!” 

“I hate to break it to you, Mikey, but I don’t think you can say that after you just did...well, whatever that was,” Gerard said. 

“I’m serious!” Mikey said. “That shouldn’t have been possible.” 

“With the Force, even impossible things become possible,” Gerard said. “Altux Wen said that, right? Volume three, issue 26 of Heroes of the Old Republic?”

Mikey rolled his eyes. “Comic books aren’t real, Gerard,” he said. 

“I beg to differ,” Ray said. “Those comic book writers do their research. The ones who wrote about the Clone Wars really captured what it was like to be on the frontlines.” 

“Just admit it, Mikey,” Gerard said. “You may not be a Jedi, but you’re like them. You have their powers. You’re Force-sensitive.” 

Mikey didn’t respond, his face completely expressionless. Meanwhile, Frank stepped toward the pieces of the Black Mariah, wondering what had happened to his beloved ship. Laura was thankfully alive and unharmed, but Frank’s brand new TIE fighter was completely destroyed. For a moment, he wished that he’d found a buyer on Cloud City instead of just giving his diamonds away to Lando. If he had, maybe he would have had enough money to buy another ship. As it was, he worried that he would be stuck on Alsakan for the foreseeable future. 

“I think it’s fixable,” Laura said, as if she was reading his mind. 

“Really?” Frank said. 

“It will take some time, but I can repair this,” Laura said. 

“Why did it break in the first place?” 

“I’m not sure, but I think some of the structural supports might have come undone. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed.” Laura then turned to Mikey. “I know you say you’re not a Jedi, but you do kind of remind me of these two Jedi that came in last week.” 

“Wait a second,” Ray said. “There were Jedi here?” 

“Who were they?” Gerard asked. 

“I don’t know,” Laura said.

“Then how do you know they were Jedi?” Mikey asked. 

“One of them tried to do a Jedi Mind Trick on me, and the other one argued with him about it the whole time I was fixing their ship,” Laura said. “They wanted me to install a hyperdrive on this scrappy-looking escape pod for some reason.” 

“What did they look like?” Gerard asked. 

“Gerard, this isn’t important…” Mikey said. 

“Maybe they were characters in the True Clone Wars Adventures,” Gerard said. 

“The one that tried to do a Jedi Mind Trick on me was kind of short, and he had black hair and a ton of eyeliner. The other one was even shorter, and he was wearing a hat. Also, he had brown hair, blue eyes, glasses…” 

“I think I know who you’re talking about,” Ray said. 

“Me too,” Gerard said. 

“It’s Patrick Stump,” the two of them said in unison. 

“How do you know Patrick?” Ray asked Gerard. 

“Isn’t it obvious? He was an important side character in the Thalassia arc in Volume Two of True Clone Wars Adventures. I don’t know who the other guy could be though.” 

“Me neither, and I fought by Patrick’s side for two years.”

“Wait, you were talking about that Patrick Stump the whole time?” Gerard said, his eyes lighting up. “You’ve got to tell me more about this.” 

“Maybe later.” 

Frank sat down on Laura’s workbench and grinned. He loved watching Gerard get excited about comic books. Every time he talked about his favorite authors, his favorite characters, his favorite stories, he seemed truly, deeply happy. All Frank wanted was for him to feel like that all the time. 

“I can’t believe it,” Ray said, smiling. “Patrick’s alive.” 

“We have to find him and whoever he’s traveling with,” Gerard said as he paced around the shop. “We have to tell them about the plot to kill the Jedi.” 

“Wait a second,” Laura said. “There’s a plot to kill the Jedi?” 

“Yeah,” Gerard said. “The Empire created a group called the Inquisitorius, and their sole purpose is to wipe out the remaining Jedi. If we don’t tell Patrick about the Empire’s plans, they could kill him.” 

“Why do you care so much about this Patrick guy?” Mikey asked his older brother. 

“He seemed like a genuinely nice person in True Clone Wars Adventures, which was such a breath of fresh air amongst all of that bloodshed. The way they characterized him was absolutely brilliant,” Gerard said. 

“He’s like that in real life too, but it doesn’t matter how nice or mean he is,” Ray said. “He doesn’t deserve to die.” 

Frank thought about it for a moment. He still had to sell Gerard’s data pod on Truwel, drop Gerard and Mikey off on Ilum, and transport Ray to Kriselist, but somehow, this seemed more important than any of those things. If they didn’t find Patrick and warn him about the Inquisitorius, he could die, and Frank couldn’t bear to have an innocent man’s blood on his hands. 

Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to keep Gerard around for just a little bit longer. 

Frank turned to Laura and asked, “Do you know anything about where the two Jedi went?”

“Not really,” Laura said. “I know they left Alsakan, but that’s about it.” She walked over to her workbench, grabbed a binder, and started flipping through it. “I might have some details on their ship though.” 

“That would be great,” Frank said. 

“Here it is,” Laura said when she found the right page in the book. “They were flying a planetary escape pod manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, license number 424577931. It didn’t have a hyperdrive, but I installed one when I worked on their ship.” 

“Great,” Frank said. “I can try tracking them once we get the ship working again.” 

“Sounds good,” Laura said. “I’ll get started on repairing the Black Mariah.” 

Laura went back to work, carefully piecing the ship together bit by bit, while Ray, Gerard, Mikey, and Frank kept on chatting. As Ray told Gerard everything he knew about Patrick Stump, Frank watched them from a distance, wishing for one more second of Gerard’s undivided attention. Then again, now that they’d added another stop, he would have plenty of time to stare into Gerard’s hazel eyes aboard the Black Mariah. Frank doubted that their relationship would ever go any further than that, but he fantasized about it anyway.

Frank finally tore his eyes away from Gerard and glanced toward Mikey, who was standing off to the side, stone-faced. Frank had never trusted the Jedi as an institution - they’d propped up a corrupt Republic for centuries - but Mikey wasn’t one of them. He was just a scared kid with powers he didn’t understand. All of the surviving Jedi were probably like that: hiding who they were, hoping that the Empire wouldn’t find them. It seemed like an awful way to live, but who was he to judge? 

A few hours passed by, and eventually, Laura finished repairing the Black Mariah. By the time she was done, it looked good as new. As he stepped aboard, Frank tried to give Laura a few credits, but she refused. 

“You don’t need to pay me, Frank,” Laura said. “We’re friends.” As Frank stuffed the credits back into his pocket, she added, “Just make sure to keep in touch. I want to know what happens with those Jedi.” 

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. “I’ll send you a hologram as soon as I get the chance.” 

“Great,” Laura said. “I’ll see you soon, Frank.” 

“See you,” Frank said as he climbed into the Black Mariah. He immediately ran over to the control panel, went into the tracking system, and entered the license number Laura had given him. While the system searched for the escape pod, Gerard took out his data pod and put it into the ship’s data reader. 

“There’s a list of Jedi that survived Order 66 on here,” he explained. “If Patrick’s on the list, then the Empire knows he’s alive.” 

“He could be dead by now,” Ray said. “Laura saw him and his friend a week ago, but one or both of them could have died between then and now.” 

“Don’t be such a downer,” Gerard said. 

“Says the guy who won’t shut up about vampires and death and not being okay,” Mikey said. 

“Shut up, Mikey,” Gerard said. He opened up the list, and he and Ray looked it over. “Interesting,” Gerard said. “Ress Rexi, Woorg Blobrukk, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Carnor Bly...but no Patrick Stump. The Empire doesn’t know he survived.” 

“They’ll find out soon enough,” Ray said. 

Meanwhile, Frank focused on the tracking system, waiting for it to find Patrick’s ship. All of a sudden, it beeped, indicating that it had found a match. “They’re in the Tarabba sector,” Frank said. “It looks like their ship landed on Utapau, but I can’t imagine why they’d go there, of all places.” 

“I don’t know either, but we have to go to Utapau,” Ray said. “If Patrick and his friend are alive, we have to tell them about the Inquisitorius.” 

“Of course, and besides, maybe they could train Mikey,” Gerard said. “Maybe they’ll teach him how to use the Force.” 

“I don’t need training,” Mikey complained. 

“You know, Mikey, I wish we could trade places,” Gerard said. “I’d sign up for Jedi training in a heartbeat.” 

“I never asked for these powers,” Mikey said. “Is there any way to get rid of them or something?” 

“Why would you want that?” 

“I just want to be like everyone else.” 

“You saved Laura’s life!” Gerard exclaimed. He sighed and then added, “I guess we can ask Patrick Stump about it when we meet him.” 

Frank ignored the Way brothers as he steered the ship upwards. Now that Laura had fixed the stabilizer, the handling was much smoother. He could fly through space without the ship veering wildly off-course. He piloted the Black Mariah toward the nearest hyperspace route, and just as he was about to leave the Alsakan system, he looked back at Gerard and smiled. 

Even a few weeks ago, he would never have expected this. He was the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy, but here he was, about to go to Utapau to save some Jedi. There was nothing in this for him - no diamonds, no credits, not even bragging rights - but he knew that finding Patrick and his friend and warning them about the Empire’s plot was the right thing to do. 

Maybe Gerard was right all along. Maybe he was a good guy at heart.


	15. Chapter 15

_“I want to scream ‘I love you’ at the top of my lungs, but why should I? Talking’s just a breath, and living’s just a waste of death, and why put a new address on the same old loneliness? It’s nothing really - a lost cause, a long shot, a bet I should have never taken. We’re a mess of youthful innocence, fireworks that went off too soon, and there are things I haven’t told you, things I’ll never tell you, secrets I’ll take to my grave, but know this: I’d do it all again if I could.” - Pete Wentz, scrawled in the margins of his copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Patrick was standing on the edge of the sinkhole, and he wanted to scream. Pete was gone, and here he was, all alone in the galaxy, the last survivor of the Jedi Order. There was nothing left for him anymore, not without his old friends, not without the other Jedi, not without Pete Wentz. He’d never felt so hopeless, so empty inside. 

Patrick took a step backwards, hoping to avoid following his pizza-obsessed friend to his certain death. Pete may be gone, but he had to stay alive. If he died now, the Jedi Order would be gone forever. 

He glanced into the sinkhole, his vision blurry with tears. There was one last thing he could do. He knew it was the right thing to do, but he didn’t know if he had the strength to do it. He had to try. If he didn’t, he would never forgive himself. He wiped away his tears, took a deep breath in, and let the Force guide him as he looked over the edge one last time. He was terrified, but he knew what he had to do. 

He came one step closer, and he jumped into the sinkhole. 

Patrick plummeted downwards, passing by bustling streets and huge, beautiful buildings. He wasn’t sure whether to feel afraid or exhilarated as he felt the rushing air, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, the pull of Utapau’s gravity. He held onto his black fedora as he fell, desperate not to lose one of his last reminders of Pete’s presence in his life. He was doing this for him, after all. 

Patrick knew he was going too fast, so he used the Force to slow his fall. His speed slowly decreased, and soon, he wasn’t falling at all. Instead, he was languidly gliding to the bottom of the sinkhole, as if he was attached to an invisible parachute. He smiled as he realized that he was going to make it. He would survive this. 

Against his better judgment, Patrick looked down. He was still hundreds of feet above the bottom of the sinkhole, but he could see it now. There was an ocean down there, with crashing waves and deep blue water stretching out in every direction. As he came closer, so close that he could feel the water spraying onto his skin, he felt Pete there, resting beneath the surface. He drifted even closer, sure that he could find Pete somewhere under the restless, unforgiving sea. 

Patrick plunged into the ocean, the icy cold water freezing his skin. He took another deep breath and ducked beneath the surface, and when he looked around, he could see him. There was someone maybe nine or ten feet below him, and with his jet black hair and intricate tattoos, he knew it had to be Pete. 

Patrick surfaced and took another breath before he dove down toward Pete. He swam as quickly as he could, and when he got to Pete, he took his hand and pulled him up to the surface. Even after they surfaced, Patrick couldn’t tell whether he was alive or dead, but he took him to shore anyways. He dragged Pete along as he swam, hoping that he wasn’t just carrying a corpse. 

When he finally made it to solid ground, Patrick climbed out of the water, and he brought Pete ashore with him. He took a moment to catch his breath. His robes were soaked, and he smelled like saltwater, but he didn’t care. He’d gotten Pete out of the ocean. 

Patrick glanced toward his friend. Pete’s body was bruised, bloodied, and mangled, his limbs bent at unnatural angles, but all of a sudden, he took a few shallow, ragged breaths. Patrick breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Pete was alive. Then, his eyes fluttered open, and he leaned over and coughed up water for what felt like forever. “Is everything okay?” Patrick asked after he was done. 

Pete groaned in pain and then coughed up more water. “No,” he finally said. “I...I feel like...I feel like I’m dying.” 

“No, Pete,” Patrick said. “You can’t die. I won’t let you die on me.” 

“It’s not your fault, Trick,” Pete said. “It’s just...everything. Everything hurts a lot. My arms, my legs, my head, my back, my chest…” Pete coughed up even more water and then added, “You...you did what you could. You came for me. You saved me. You save me every day. Did you know that?” 

“I didn’t.” 

“It’s true. We’re like...we’re like young volcanoes.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” When Pete didn’t respond, Patrick shouted his name. “I’m telling you, Pete, you can’t die now,” he said. 

“There’s nothing you can do, Lunchbox,” Pete mumbled. “Not even the Force can cheat death.” 

“There has to be something!” 

Pete rolled onto his back and smiled, revealing the teeth that had been knocked out by the impact. “Do you remember when we were thirteen? Do you remember what happened four days before the Initiate Trials?” he asked. 

Patrick thought about it, but he didn’t think anything important had happened that day. He remembered the Trials themselves, but he hardly remembered the days leading up to them. He turned to Pete, and he shook his head. 

“I was terrified of failing the Trials, so I went up to you, and I asked if I could cheat off of your answers for the written portion of the test,” Pete explained. “Of course, you said no, but you offered to study with me. You sat in the Archives with me for hours, going over every last Jedi text, memorizing anything and everything that could be on the exam.” 

“I did that with half the class, Pete,” Patrick said. 

“But it meant everything to me,” Pete said. “I got a perfect score on the written exam, so I passed the Trials, even though I failed the practical. If it wasn’t for you, I never would have made it to apprenticeship. I never would have had a chance at becoming a Jedi Knight.” 

“Why are you telling me this now?” 

“Because that was when I fell in love with you.” 

Patrick stared at Pete for a few seconds, unable to believe what he’d just heard. He couldn’t mean this. Surely, it was just another one of his jokes, just another way to mess with his head. Besides, Pete knew just as well as he did that falling in love led to the dark side. 

“Even when we were apart, even through all those years, I thought of you every single day. I couldn’t get you out of my head. Sometimes, you were the only thing that made me happy. I knew that you didn’t love me back, that you never would, but I knew I’d see you again someday, and that was what kept me going. Then, when we met again at the temple...it was like I was falling for you all over again. Those days wandering through the cities of Alsakan, sitting by the fire on Devaron, coming here to Utapau...those were some of the best days of my life...and now it’s all going to end. I just want you to know this before I die. You are what you love, not who loves you. And what I love is you.” 

“Pete, you know Jedi aren’t supposed to get attached…” 

“I don’t care, Patrick!” Pete exclaimed. “I know it’s wrong, and I don’t care! I love you, and I always will. Even when I’m gone, I’ll still love you.” He sighed and then added, “I know you don’t care about me. I know you’ll never think of me in the same way. I know you’re too good for me. I know I don’t deserve you. I mean, you’re basically perfect, and I’m just a boy who’s had too many chances…”

That was when Patrick did something that surprised even himself. He leaned in closer, and he kissed Pete. 

It felt so wrong, yet so right. Pete’s lips tasted like saltwater, but Patrick could still feel the sparks, the electricity flowing through his veins. He deepened the kiss, knowing this was the last chance he would ever have to let go of his inhibitions, to show Pete just how much he cared about him. After a lifetime of being taught to detach himself from his emotions, giving in to them felt like a breath of fresh air. 

As they finally pulled apart, Patrick said, “No, Pete. You’re more than that.” 

Pete was about to say something, but he was fading fast. As he collapsed onto the ground, Patrick started to tear up. He didn’t know what to do anymore, not after everything that had just happened. 

All of a sudden, he heard a whirring sound coming from above the sinkhole. When he looked up, he saw that there was a brightly painted TIE fighter flying across the sky, the same one that he’d seen on Coruscant. He stared at the ship as it lowered itself into the sinkhole, flying past the city inside. 

Someone was coming for him.


	16. Chapter 16

_“A Jedi always helps a friend in need.” - Erima Hawless, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Frank gripped the controls of the Black Mariah as he approached the surface of Utapau. He glanced out the window, and there was nothing but a bleak desert landscape dotted with sinkholes, stretching out as far as he could see. As he came closer, he spotted a planetary escape pod. He couldn’t see the license plate yet, but he was sure it was Patrick Stump’s ship. It had to be. 

He landed the Black Mariah next to the escape pod, and the four of them climbed out to inspect the ship. Frank stood on his tiptoes and peeked inside, but there was nobody there. In fact, the ship looked like it had been abandoned. 

“What do we do now?” Gerard asked. 

“We should keep looking for the Jedi,” Frank said. “They have to be around here somewhere, right?” 

“Mikey!” Gerard exclaimed. “You can sense things, right? Through the Force?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mikey said. 

“Is there any way you can find Patrick and his friend?” 

“Uhh...I don’t think so.” 

Gerard frowned. “How are we going to find them then?” 

Frank turned toward the Black Mariah. “Let’s get back on the ship,” he said. “We can fly over the area and see if we find them anywhere.” 

The four of them got back on the ship, and Frank took off. However, they weren’t in the air for long before Frank heard a loud, beeping noise. 

“It’s a distress signal,” Frank said as he steered the ship closer to the ground. “And it’s coming from...right next to the sinkhole.” Frank carefully landed the ship and then told the others, “Stay here. It could be dangerous.” 

“No way,” Gerard said. “I’m coming with you.” 

“I’m serious, Gerard. I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

“I’m coming whether you want me to or not. If it’s dangerous, you shouldn’t go alone.” 

Frank couldn’t argue with that. He left the ship, and Gerard followed him. As they walked along the sinkhole, Frank asked, “So what do you think of Utapau so far?” 

“I don’t know,” Gerard said. “I think I liked Alderaan better.” 

“Alderaan’s nice. It is the Planet of Beauty, after all.” 

“Then again, nothing’s more beautiful than a wheat field.” 

“A wheat field?” Frank said incredulously. 

“Wheat makes me feel calm, in control, like everything’s going to be okay,” Gerard said. 

Frank blushed - that was exactly how he felt when he was with Gerard. No matter how worried or scared he was, it all floated away whenever he and Gerard got a moment alone together. Then again, sometimes Gerard gave him a whole new set of worries, like what Gerard thought about when he stared out the window of the Black Mariah, whether he was as head over heels as Frank was, what they’d do when they finally had to say goodbye. 

“Nothing’s more beautiful than wheat,” Gerard continued. “Nothing except for…” 

Gerard didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. He and Frank stumbled upon a red-plated R1 unit, and it was beeping loudly. “I think we’ve found the source of the distress signal!” Frank shouted as he tried to turn off the droid’s sound system. However, no matter what Frank did, it wouldn’t stop beeping. 

“Gerard, do you understand binary by any chance?” Frank asked. Maybe they could do something if they could understand what the droid was saying. 

Gerard shook his head, so Frank picked up the droid and carried it back to the Black Mariah. Once he got there, he asked Ray and Mikey if either of them could understand the droid. When both of them said no, Frank sighed and plugged the droid into the ship. 

Soon, the droid’s message flashed across the display screen. Frank gasped as soon as he read it. “The droid...it belongs to someone named Pete Wentz,” he said. 

“I recognize the name,” Ray said. 

“He’s a Jedi Padawan,” Frank said. “He escaped the raid on the temple with Patrick Stump.” 

Gerard smiled. “That’s good news!” he said. “We’ve found Patrick Stump’s friend!” 

“No, it’s not good news at all,” Frank said. “Pete Wentz...he fell into the sinkhole a few minutes before we got here. Patrick jumped in after him.” 

Everyone was quiet for a moment. “So they’re both dead,” Gerard finally said. 

“Not necessarily,” Ray said. “There’s a chance they survived, and if there’s any chance they’re alive, we’ve got to find them. After what happened to Patrick’s master, to the whole Jedi Order, I owe it to them.” 

Frank nodded, and he steered the ship into the sinkhole. As the ship flew lower and lower, he thought about the two Jedi. He didn’t know them, but he could hardly imagine the hardships they’d been through. He desperately hoped they were alive. They were teenagers, just like him, and they were far too young to die. 

As the ship flew into the sinkhole, Patrick sat on the rocky shore, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a TIE fighter above him, with dogs and spiders and cowboys painted on it. It could be here to help him, or it could be coming here to finally kill him. There was no way to tell, but Patrick knew he didn’t want to die, not like this. He took Pete’s hand, and he dragged him away from the ship, fighting back tears as he felt Pete’s skin growing cold. 

Meanwhile, Frank steered the Black Mariah even closer. “Does that look like them?” he asked Ray and Gerard. 

“Yeah, that’s Patrick for sure, and I think the guy he’s with is Pete,” Ray said. 

Gerard leaned closer to get a better look. “Pete looks pretty dead to me,” he said. 

“I don’t know,” Ray said. “It’s hard to tell from this far up.” 

Frank gripped the controls, and the Black Mariah flew in even closer. 

_It’s not enough,_ Patrick realized as the mysterious ship approached him. He couldn’t outrun a TIE fighter. Not even the Force could give him that kind of power. He set Pete down, his body draped across the rocks, and he watched as the brightly painted TIE fighter landed right next to him. The door of the ship opened, and the crew approached him and Pete. There was a short man with dyed black hair wearing a yellow jacket and a bandana, and he was followed by a redhead wearing a blue jacket, a blond-haired kid around his age with a ridiculously sharp jawline, and a man with long, curly hair. Out of pure instinct, Patrick ignited his blue-green lightsaber, and he stood his ground, ready to fight if he needed to. 

“Hey there, Patrick,” the man with the bandana said. “I’m Fred Lero.” 

Patrick looked at him suspiciously, still gripping onto the hilt of his lightsaber. “How do you know my name?” he asked. 

The redheaded chuckled. “You were in True Clone Wars Adventures!” he exclaimed. “I’m Gerard, by the way, and those two are Ray and Mikey. I’m a big fan of yours.” He turned back to the man with the bandana and smiled. “Hey Frank, why did you tell him your name was Fred Lero?” he asked. 

“I don’t know if we can trust him,” Frank said. 

“Of course we can trust him!” Gerard exclaimed. “He’s Patrick Stump!” 

Patrick turned off his lightsaber, more confused than anything else. “What’s going on here?” he asked Frank and Gerard. 

“Listen, Patrick,” Gerard said. “You’re not safe here.” 

“Why not?” Patrick asked. 

“The Empire created a force of Jedi hunters called the Inquisitorius. They’re trying to hunt down and kill all of the surviving Jedi. You have to stay away from them.” 

“How do you know?” 

“I have a data pod aboard the ship that lays out the Empire’s plans,” Gerard said. “Come on. I’ll show it to you.” 

Gerard climbed on board the ship, but Patrick stayed in place, unsure whether to trust the redheaded man. He looked back toward Pete, his famous last words echoing in his mind, and he wondered if Pete had meant what he’d said. Patrick was still scared and ashamed of what he’d done, how close he’d come to breaking the Jedi Code, falling in love, falling to the dark side. He told himself that he’d only done it for Pete, that he only wanted to give his dying friend one last moment of happiness, but he wondered if there was a tiny part of him that loved Pete back, a part of him that was heartbroken now that he was gone. 

Patrick tore his eyes away from Pete and followed Gerard into the ship. He had to see what he was talking about. He had to know his enemy better, but sometimes, he wondered if the true enemy was himself. 

While Gerard showed Patrick the information on the data pod, Mikey stood next to Pete, waving his arms around wildly. “What are you doing?” Ray asked him. 

“I’m trying to use the Force to heal him,” Mikey said, suddenly going still. He paused and then added, “The Force never seems to work when I try to use it intentionally. It’s only when I don’t mean to use it…” 

“Is he even alive?” Ray asked. 

“I don’t know,” Mikey said. “If he is, he needs to be taken to a hospital.” 

“We should talk to Frank about that,” Ray said. He sighed and said, “Patrick seems to be okay, but I don’t think he remembers me. We were in the same squadron for two years, and he doesn’t even know who I am.” 

“That’s awful,” Mikey said. 

“Maybe it’s for the best,” Ray said. “We don’t need to delve into our shared history.” 

Mikey and Ray picked Pete up, and they carried him toward the Black Mariah. As they headed toward the ship, Pete slipped in and out of consciousness. At one point, he mumbled something that sounded like “lunchbox,” but neither Ray nor Mikey knew what that could possibly mean. 

Patrick was still reading over the list of surviving Jedi when Frank climbed aboard the ship, closely followed by Ray, Mikey, and Pete. “He’s alive, but he doesn’t have much time left,” Ray said as he set Pete down on the floor of the ship.

Patrick breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the news, and he felt like there was a glimmer of hope somewhere in the distance. Pete wasn’t dead, not yet. He knew the chances were slim, but maybe, just maybe, they’d both make it out of here alive. 

“Is there a hospital somewhere around here?” Patrick asked. 

“That’s what I was about to say,” Ray said. 

“There might be one above us,” Frank said. “I’ll fly around and see if I can find somewhere we can take Pete.” 

“Hurry,” Patrick said as he stepped closer to Pete. “I’m worried that he won’t last much longer.” A part of him wanted to hold Pete in his arms, to kiss him one more time, to finish what they’d started at the bottom of the sinkhole, but he knew he could never do that. The Jedi Order may be gone, but he still had to uphold the Code. All his life, he’d valued peace over emotion, serenity over passion, and he couldn’t give that up now, not even when Pete was dying. 

Already, he felt lost without him. 

The Black Mariah flew upwards, and before long, Frank spotted a medical center near the top of the sinkhole. He landed the ship outside the hospital, and a group of medical droids approached Pete and placed him onto a stretcher. Patrick simply watched as they rolled Pete into the hospital, a lump forming in his throat. He was afraid this would be the last time he’d ever see Pete alive. 

“You’ll live through this,” Gerard said. Patrick barely knew him, but somehow, those words comforted him. “Believe me, Patrick, we’ll carry on.”


	17. Chapter 17

_“Is it ever possible to truly know someone? To understand their experiences, their feelings, their vices, their virtues, their pleasure, their pain? The Force binds us all together, but not even the Force will allow us to see through the eyes of someone else.” - Varik Montari, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Two days passed, and as Pete was shuffled back and forth between the operating table and the bacta tank, Frank, Gerard, Ray, Mikey, and Patrick got to know each other better. They spent hours chatting about where they’d been over the past few weeks, along with everything from music to food to which Jedi was the coolest. Soon, they discovered that even in this strange, mixed-up galaxy, where anyone could turn against you at any moment, they could trust each other. 

Of course, they kept their secrets too. Frank never mentioned that he was Fun Ghoul, although he suspected that Patrick had figured it out on his own. The Way brothers never said why they had fled Coruscant so suddenly, and Ray never told Patrick that they’d fought together in the Clone Wars. Patrick, for his part, kept quiet about what Pete had said to him before the Black Mariah had arrived. They didn’t need to know about Pete’s feelings for him, and they definitely didn’t need to know that he wasn’t the perfect Jedi they thought he was. 

As Patrick was telling the others about how he and Pete had fought Brendon Urie, who Gerard was sure had to be an Inquisitor, a doctor entered the room. “Pete’s awake,” she said, peering down at the five boys. 

“How is he?” Patrick asked worriedly. 

“He’s recovering nicely,” she said. “Would you like to see him?” 

“That would be great,” Patrick said. His heart beat faster at the thought of seeing Pete again. He wasn’t sure what he would say when he saw him. What was there to say after Pete had confessed his love for him? 

“Can I come too?” Gerard asked. 

“What about me?” Frank asked. 

“I’d like to make sure Pete’s okay,” Mikey said. 

“Me too,” Ray said. 

“We can’t take all five of you right now,” the doctor said. 

Gerard sighed. “Maybe we should let Patrick go by himself,” he said. “After all, he’s friends with Pete, and we barely know him.” 

Patrick wasn’t quite sure how he felt about being alone together with Pete, but he nodded and followed the doctor into his room. When the doctor opened the door, he stepped inside, not quite sure what to expect. 

“Hey Lunchbox,” Pete said weakly from the hospital bed. The doctors had told Patrick that Pete had broken nearly every bone in his body when he’d fallen into the sinkhole, but already, he was looking a lot better. There were a couple of fading bruises and a few faint scars left - nothing that couldn’t be fixed with another night in the bacta tank. Soon, he’d be ready to leave Utapau. They just had to figure out where they would go from here. 

“Hi Pete,” Patrick said. 

“There’s something I want to talk to you about,” Pete said.

“Good, because there’s a _lot_ I want to talk to you about.” 

“How did you get me here exactly?” 

“It’s kind of complicated,” Patrick said. “This group of outlaws found us and rescued us. Gerard’s a fan of True Clone Wars Adventures, and he wanted to warn me about the Inquisitorius. That’s the organization Brendon’s in, by the way.”

“I thought he was a Sith.” 

“Apparently not, but according to Gerard, it’s all a big conspiracy. The Sith and the Inquisitorius are working with the Empire to get rid of all of the surviving Jedi.” 

“So it’s just as we suspected,” Pete said. “The entire galaxy’s out to get us.” Patrick nodded, and Pete said, “So those guys who were walking by my bacta tank…” 

“They were the ones who rescued us,” Patrick said. “The blond one...he’s one of us. I can feel it.” 

“One of us?” Pete said. “What do you mean?” 

“He’s Force-sensitive,” Patrick explained. He hadn’t known Mikey for long, but he felt the Force burning bright within him. There was power there, waiting to be unleashed. “I don’t think he’s ever been trained, but he has a strong connection to the Force.” 

“Uhh...yeah. I felt that too,” Pete said. “Also, the redhead and the short one are madly in love with each other and refuse to admit it.” 

“Holy smokes, you can feel something like that through the Force?” Patrick said. “If you can, you’re more powerful than I thought.” 

Pete laughed. “No,” he said. “It’s in the way they look at each other. You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“No, I really don’t.” 

“Maybe it’s because you’ve never been in love.” 

“We need to talk about that, by the way,” Patrick said, blushing out of sheer embarrassment. “You know. What happened the other day.”

“I meant every word I said,” Pete said. 

Patrick didn’t know what to say. He never thought it would end up like this. He never believed that Pete loved him. Most of the time, he wasn’t even sure that Pete liked him, but when Patrick looked into his eyes, he knew it was all true. Pete looked at him just like Frank and Gerard looked at each other, with affection and passion and love. 

All of a sudden, Patrick looked away. “I can’t, Pete,” he said. 

“What are you talking about?” Pete asked. 

“I can’t be with you,” Patrick said. “Jedi can’t form attachments.”

“You were the one who kissed me!” 

“It was a mistake.” 

“It didn’t feel like a mistake to me.” 

Patrick paused for a moment, remembering how Pete’s lips had felt on his, and then he said, “You know just as well as I do that falling in love is against the Jedi Code.” 

“Who cares?” Pete said. “The Jedi Order is gone. We should be able to do whatever we want.” 

“That’s not true,” Patrick said. “Attachments lead to the dark side.” 

“The dark side’s not all bad.” 

Patrick sighed. “Listen Pete, I like you a lot. You’re talented and funny and clever, and I think you’re my best friend…”

“Really?” Pete interrupted. “Nobody’s ever said anything like that to me before.”

“...but one of us should uphold the Code,” Patrick said. “If you’re not going to do it, then I will.” 

Pete looked heartbroken, like he wanted to reinvent the wheel to run himself over. “I should have never told you how I felt,” he muttered to himself. “I’ve ruined everything.” 

For a moment, Patrick wished he could take it back, but as much as he liked Pete, he knew he had to distance himself. It was what was best for both of them. He couldn’t let his feelings cloud his better judgment. 

While Pete and Patrick talked, Frank, Gerard, Ray, and Mikey sat outside, chatting amongst themselves as they waited for Patrick to come back. “Frank, why can’t I get the chip out of my head here?” Ray asked. 

“The Empire could find us,” Frank said. “It’s better to wait until we get to Kriselist.”

“So where do we go from here?” Gerard asked. 

“Well, I need to go to Truwel to drop off some cargo,” Frank said. 

“Again?” Mikey said. 

“Uhh...yeah,” Frank said. “We can go to Kriselist after that, and then I’ll take you two to Ilum.” 

“That sounds like a good plan,” Gerard said. 

“Yeah,” Frank said, his heart pounding in his chest. “I should probably go back to the ship and plot out our exact trajectory though. We don’t want to get lost on the way there.” 

Frank got up and headed to the ship, wondering how he would steal the data pod without Gerard noticing, but the guilt was slowly eating away at him. Gerard was one of the few people who genuinely cared about him, who saw him as more than just a dangerous criminal. Frank didn’t want to betray him, but Andy Hurley’s reward for inside information on the Empire was too good to pass up. He had to do this. 

When Frank climbed aboard the Black Mariah, he saw that Gerard had left his data pod in the ship. It was sitting on top of his backpack, as if Gerard was waiting for him to take it. He reached toward the pod, but he hesitated. He thought about Gerard, every memory they’d shared over the last few weeks, everything they could be, if only Frank would stop treating him like just another mark. He didn’t want to take the data pod. He wanted to be stronger than that, but in the end, he wasn’t. 

He reached out, grabbed the data pod, and put it in his pocket. 

Frank nervously walked back into the hospital, certain that Gerard would notice he’d stolen the data pod. All of the worst-case scenarios raced through his mind as he opened the door and approached the others. 

By the time Frank came back, Patrick had returned. “How’s Pete doing?” Gerard asked him. 

“He’s fine,” Patrick said, but something seemed wrong. 

All of a sudden, Gerard turned to Frank. “Is everything okay?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” Frank said. “I set up all of the trajectories. We should have no problem getting to Ilum.” He was surprised by how easily the lie slipped out, but Gerard didn’t seem to notice anything. 

“I’ve been to Ilum before,” Patrick said. 

“Really?” Gerard said. 

“Yeah. I found the kyber crystal for my lightsaber there.” 

“That’s really neat.” 

As Patrick and Gerard kept on talking about lightsabers, Frank wondered if it was too late to put the data pod back. Already, he felt like he’d made a mistake, but he was sure it was too late to turn back now. He’d stolen the data pod. All he had to do was sell it to the Truwel Rebellion without Gerard finding out. It couldn’t be that hard, right?

The next morning, Pete was released from the hospital, and with nowhere else to go, Pete and Patrick both decided to go to Truwel with Frank and his crew. As Frank steered the ship toward Truwel, he felt like he’d let Gerard down. He wasn’t who Gerard thought he was. He was a crook, a thief, a sinner, someone who couldn’t resist the thought of a hundred thousand credits in his hands. He worried that he’d never change, no matter how hard he tried. After all, if his feelings for Gerard couldn’t stop him from stealing the data pod, then what could?


	18. Chapter 18

_“To become our best selves, we need a clear mind, an open heart, and a deep connection with the Force.” - Vizsla Kwerve, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

The Black Mariah had just landed on a small planet in the Outer Rim, and Mikey Way had never felt more homesick. He was thousands of lightyears away from Coruscant, and already, he missed his family, his friends, his school, his home. He missed having a sense of normalcy, but after what had happened on Alsakan, he knew that was something he could never get back. 

As they all left the ship, Mikey could feel the tensions among the group. Pete and Patrick hardly spoke to each other, and Frank had seemed strangely guilty ever since they’d left Utapau. Mikey had no idea what was going on, but he tried his best to stay out of it. The last thing he needed was to get involved in his crewmates’ drama. 

He looked around for a moment, appreciating the scenery. Truwel wasn’t too open, like Utapau, or too claustrophobic, like Coruscant. There were highways running across the landscape and huge skyscrapers looming in the distance, but there were trees and mountains too. It was the perfect blend of nature and technology, but Mikey still knew he should be home. He’d seen enough of the galaxy. All he wanted was to go back to Coruscant, back to how things were before. 

“There’s a rebel group operating somewhere in this city, and I need to give them my cargo,” Frank said. “Maybe we could split up and look for them?” 

“Sounds good,” Gerard said. “Maybe you and I can search the north side of Truwel City, Patrick and Ray can take the south side, and Pete and Mikey can take the west side? If something goes wrong, we can return to the ship.” 

Frank nodded, but Pete said, “Actually, I could teach Mikey how to use the Force instead.” 

Mikey was about to protest, but Gerard said, “That’s a great idea.”

“I don’t need to be taught,” Mikey argued. 

“Yes, you do.” 

“Who’s going to search the west side of the city then?” 

“Frank and I can do that.” 

Mikey sighed, but it seemed like there was no getting out of this. Gerard, Frank, Patrick, and Ray all headed into Truwel City, leaving him alone with Pete. He still wasn’t quite sure how he felt about the eyeliner-clad Jedi - he’d barely gotten a chance to get to know him - but he was sure that training with Pete wasn’t going to help him return to Coruscant. 

Pete smiled slightly and said, “So Patrick says you’re a Force user, huh?” Mikey nodded reluctantly. “I’m surprised the Jedi Order didn’t find you.” 

“I was hidden in plain sight, I guess,” Mikey said. 

Pete shrugged. “It’s not worth worrying about now,” he said. “I’m supposed to teach you about the Force.” 

“You’re just doing this to get away from Patrick, aren’t you?” 

Pete’s eyes opened wide, and then he scowled at Mikey. “That’s none of your business,” he said. 

“I thought Jedi were supposed to be honest about their emotions.” 

“If you listen to people like Patrick, Jedi aren’t supposed to _have_ emotions.” Mikey stood there with a perfect poker face, and Pete smiled again. “I think you’ll make a great Jedi. You just need someone to teach you.” 

“And why are you teaching me?” Mikey asked. “You’re my age.” 

“There aren’t a lot of other options right now,” Pete said. “Besides, I’ve been a Jedi for most of my life. I think I can teach you a thing or two.” Mikey gave Pete a suspicious glance, but Pete paid no attention. “Close your eyes,” he said. “Reach out. Try to feel the Force flowing around you.” 

At first, there was nothing. “What did you want me to do again?” Mikey asked, feeling awkward as he stood there, his eyes still squeezed shut. 

Pete started to answer, but all of a sudden, Mikey found what he was looking for. He felt it in the trees, in the birds, in the insects buzzing around him. There was life and death, war and peace, order and chaos, love and hatred. There were two sides - light and dark - always at war with each other, but coming together to create balance, to form a unified whole. Mikey felt his heart beating in perfect harmony with the Force as it ebbed and flowed, reaching out and calling to every being in the universe. 

“I feel it,” Mikey said. “It’s everywhere. It’s in me, and it’s in you. I...I don’t know why, Pete, but I sense a deep sadness in you.”

Pete chuckled. “You’re supposed to be my student, not my therapist.” 

Mikey suddenly opened his eyes. “I’m not trying to intrude, Pete…” 

“It’s okay, Mikey,” Pete said. “Do you see that rock over there?” Mikey nodded. “Try using the Force to push it.” 

“I don’t know how to do that.” 

“Here, I’ll show you.” Pete reached out in front of him and tried to push the rock, but it wasn’t quite working. “Just give me one more second...I can do it…” 

All of a sudden, Mikey raised his hand, and the rock flew into the air and slammed into a nearby tree. Pete looked at him in shock. “How did you do that?” he asked. 

“I used the Force,” Mikey explained. “I felt it within me, and I used it to push the rock.” 

Pete smiled. “You’re really getting the hang of this,” he said. 

“Thanks, Pete,” Mikey said, but his mind was elsewhere. He felt the Force flowing through him, and he channeled it into something bigger. Maybe he could make the rock do a flip, or maybe he could throw it out into space. With the Force, the possibilities were endless.

All of a sudden, the ground started to shake. “Mikey, what are you doing?!” Pete shouted. 

“I don’t know!” he exclaimed. 

“Focus, Mikey,” Pete said, hanging onto the Black Mariah in hopes of maintaining his balance. “You started this, so there has to be a way to stop it.” 

Mikey took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from panicking, and somehow it worked. The shaking slowed down, and as Mikey found balance within himself, it eventually came to a stop. However, after all of that practice, he was drained. He collapsed to the ground, exhausted. 

“Is everything okay?” Pete asked. 

“I’m just tired,” Mikey said as he stared up at the clouds. “Do you know if there’s anywhere we could get blue milk pizza around here?” 

Pete smiled and said, “Mikey, I think you and I are going to be good friends.” 

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Frank wandered through the streets, still feeling awful about how he had betrayed Gerard. The data pod was still in his pocket, weighing down his jacket, and every time Gerard looked at him, he was terrified that he’d find out. He didn’t know what he would do if Gerard knew what he had done, what he was about to do as soon as they found the Truwel Rebellion leaders. He wished he could undo it all, but it was too late. He had to finish what he’d started. 

All of a sudden, a blonde-haired woman around Frank’s age walked by, and Gerard stopped her. “What do you want?” she asked. 

“Hey,” Gerard said. “What’s your name?” 

“Hayley,” the woman said. “Who are you?” 

“I’m Gerard,” he said. 

“You’re not from around here, are you?” Hayley said. 

Gerard nodded. “I’m from Coruscant,” he said. “My friend and I heard there was a rebellion against the Empire on this planet. Do you know anything about that?” 

Hayley shook her head. “There’s no Rebellion,” she said. “It’s just a rumor.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“I’m sure.” 

“But Frank needs to give them something…” 

“Quit asking about the Rebellion. It’s not real.” 

“It has to be!” 

Hayley rolled her eyes. “I see how it is,” she said. “Ignorance is your new best friend.” Before Gerard could respond, she walked away. 

Gerard turned to Frank and asked, “Are you sure there’s a Rebellion?” 

“I’m sure,” Frank said, but he didn’t blame Gerard for asking, not after every person they’d asked had denied that there was a rebellion on this planet. He hoped that Patrick and Ray were having better luck, but he doubted it. At this rate, they’d never find the Truwel Rebellion. 

Frank put one hand in his pocket, and as he grasped onto Gerard’s data pod, he wished he could give it back. He’d been a mess ever since he’d stolen it, hating himself for what he’d done. After all, he’d sent his crew on a wild goose chase and stolen from one of his closest friends, just so that he could get a few extra credits. He was ashamed of who he was on the inside: an amoral, selfish bastard. As Gerard’s eyes met his, he played with the buttons on the data pod, wishing that he could be more like him. 

Maybe it wasn’t too late to fix this. 

Frank took the data pod out of his pocket and handed it to Gerard. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not the man I thought I was.” 

“What are you talking about?” Gerard asked as he took it back.

“I stole it,” Frank admitted. “I stole the data pod.” 

The look of betrayal on Gerard’s face almost broke him. “But why?” Gerard asked. 

“Andy Hurley, the leader of the Truwel Rebellion, offered a hundred thousand credits for anyone with inside information on the Empire. That’s why we’re here. I was going to sell your data pod to him.” By this point, Frank was blinking away tears. “I’m sorry, Gee,” he said. “I shouldn’t have...I should never have…”

All of a sudden, Gerard gave him a hug. “It’s okay, Frank. I forgive you.” 

“Really?”

“I mean, I’m kind of mad at you for stealing my data pod, but you did the right thing by giving it back. You’re stronger than you think you are.” 

Frank stepped away and then said, “Thanks, Gerard. You know, you could sell the data pod to the Truwel Rebellion if you want…” 

“If we’re selling the data pod, we’re splitting the reward. I’ll get fifty thousand credits, and you’ll get fifty thousand credits.” 

“I don’t deserve that.” 

“Don’t say that. You deserve the whole galaxy.” Frank blushed, and Gerard added, “Come on, let’s go back to the ship. Maybe the others have had better luck.” 

“I doubt it,” Frank said, but he and Gerard went back to the Black Mariah anyways. As they walked, Frank thought about what he’d do after Gerard was gone. He wasn’t sure if they’d get any more time alone together, especially with four other people aboard the ship. Frank figured that he’d go back to stealing from the Empire after this was all over, tearing down their government the only way he knew how, but he didn’t know how he’d do it without Gerard. Now that he’d met him, the thought of life without Gerard by his side scared him. 

When they got back to the Black Mariah, nobody else was there yet. However, Pete and Mikey soon wandered in from the city, eating pizza as they talked. 

“So then I stole Patrick’s ID, and I replaced it with a picture of Jabba The Hutt,” Pete said as Mikey laughed hysterically. “You should have seen the look on his face!” 

“It’s nice to see that they’re getting along,” Frank said to Gerard. 

“I swear, if he hurts my little brother, I’m going to murder him,” Gerard said. 

The four of them waited in the ship for a while, wondering where Ray and Patrick had disappeared to. Pete and Mikey kept on chatting and making jokes, while Gerard doodled another picture of Frank. After nearly an hour had gone by, Patrick and Ray finally returned, but there was someone else with them. He was around Frank’s age, and he had brown, curly hair. 

“Hi there,” the mysterious young man said to the others. “I’m Joe Trohman, and I’m with the Truwel Rebellion.”


	19. Chapter 19

_“To criticize the Jedi Order’s involvement in the Republic is to misunderstand what it means to be a Jedi. A Jedi seeks justice. A Jedi believes in moral righteousness, fairness, and equality for all, and to make this possible for everyone, we must be diplomats and negotiators as well as teachers and spiritual leaders. When all issues are political issues, to be a Jedi is by necessity a political act.” - Olmi Brespin, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Frank looked straight at Joe and said, “Wait a second. You’re in the Rebellion?” Joe nodded. “Do you know Andy Hurley?” 

“Yeah, he’s one of my friends,” Joe said. He then gave Frank a suspicious look. “How do you know about Andy?” 

“Someone told me that he was offering a hundred thousand credits to anyone with information on the Empire,” he said. “And Gerard and I…” 

“We have some information Andy might be interested in,” Gerard finished. 

Joe considered this for a moment and then said, “I’ll take you to him. Follow me.” 

Frank, Gerard, Mikey, Ray, Pete, and Patrick all followed Joe into the heart of the city. As they walked, Frank asked Joe more questions, desperate to know more about the Truwel Rebellion.

“So how many people are in the Rebellion?” Frank asked. 

“About half of Truwel City,” Joe answered. 

“Half the city?!” Frank exclaimed.

“Plus, we’ve got some agents in other cities. We’re trying to expand to other planets in the Outer Rim too…” 

“Then how come nobody would tell me about it?” 

“We’re not supposed to tell outsiders about the Rebellion. You never know who you can trust these days.” 

“You told Ray and Patrick,” Frank pointed out. 

“The one with the hat and the glasses...that’s Patrick, right?” Joe said. Patrick nodded. “He’s a Jedi. I know he won’t tell the Empire about us, and he seems to trust you guys as well.”

“Why do you trust the Jedi?” 

“They’ve been wronged by the Empire, just like we have.”

“What did the Empire do to you?” 

Joe sighed. “The Republic always left our planet alone. For centuries, we governed ourselves, and for centuries, there was peace on Truwel. Then, when the Empire came into power, they decided that they wanted the resources on our planet. They want to take over Truwel, turn our forests into farmland, mine for rare elements, build weapons factories in our cities. They’ve already attacked Truwel twice, and they’re almost certainly coming back. That’s why we started a rebellion against the Empire. We have to protect our planet.” 

“That’s awful,” Frank said. He knew firsthand that the Republic hadn’t been kind to the Outer Rim planets, but it seemed like the Empire was somehow even worse. 

“Yeah,” Joe said. “I just hope Andy’s plans work.”

“Me too,” Frank said. 

“Truwel’s such a nice planet,” Ray added. “It deserves to be free.” 

Frank nodded. “So Joe, what’s your job in the Rebellion?” 

“You don’t need to constantly ask him about the Truwel Rebellion,” Mikey grumbled. 

“It’s okay - I don’t mind. It’s not often that I get a chance to tell people about what we’re doing,” Joe said. “Anyways, I’m a pilot.” 

“That’s neat,” Frank said. “I’m a pilot too.” 

“I thought you were a ‘freelance trader,’” Gerard said. 

“I thought you were Fun Ghoul,” Pete said. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said. “We’ve been working with _Fun Ghoul_ this whole time?” 

“You didn’t know?” Pete said. 

“Nobody ever told me,” Patrick said. 

“I thought you’d figured it out.” 

“Frank doesn’t look _anything_ like he does in the posters.” 

“To be fair, after I saw you in True Clone Wars Adventures, I thought you’d be a lot taller,” Gerard said to Patrick. 

“Do you have to mention True Clone Wars Adventures every five seconds?” Mikey said. 

“It’s a really good comic book series!” 

All of a sudden, the seven of them entered a small, dimly lit building. Frank looked around, but there wasn’t much to see. If he’d seen this building on the street, he probably would have passed it by. It was just as nondescript on the inside as it was on the outside, but as they headed down a long hallway, Frank heard the thumping of a bass drum and the rattling of a snare. Joe went toward the source of the sound, and the others followed him. 

Joe opened a door, and when they went inside, they saw a tough-looking, tattooed man in his mid-twenties banging on a drum kit. Patrick stepped away, looking a little bit intimidated, but when Andy put down his drumsticks and opened his mouth, it was clear that despite his menacing appearance, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. 

“Hi Joe,” he said. “It’s good to see you. What’s going on?” 

“These six wanted to see you,” Joe said, gesturing toward his companions. “I don’t know much about them, but they say they can help the Rebellion.”

“Specifically, we wanted you to see this,” Gerard said. He searched through his pockets, found the data pod, and held it up into the air. 

“What is it?” Andy asked. 

“It’s a data pod, and it’s filled with information I stole from the Empire when I was working for them,” Gerard explained. Andy looked intrigued, so Gerard asked, “Do you have something to read this with?” 

“There’s a data reader in the other room,” Andy said. He got up from behind the drum set and headed out of the room, and the others followed him. 

After hearing about Andy Hurley and his rebellion ever since the Empire took power, Frank was a little underwhelmed. He’d pictured a fearsome warrior leading the Truwel Rebellion, but instead, Andy was a short, soft-spoken young man, albeit one with a seething hatred for the Empire coursing through his veins. 

As Andy took the pod and inserted it into the data reader, Frank glanced at Gerard and smiled. The two of them were about to be rich. It was so close he could taste it. Frank thought about what he’d do once he had his share of the reward. He would send some money back to his parents, of course, but he wasn’t sure what he’d do after that. He could upgrade his ship, get another tattoo, buy some puppies, but none of that was what mattered to him anymore. He wanted something more. He wanted Gerard. 

Andy looked over the information on Gerard’s data pod, and his jaw dropped when he saw the Empire’s plans for the surviving Jedi. “They’re going to kill them all,” he said. “Not just the Jedi, but anyone who’s Force-sensitive.” He paused and then said, “I knew the Empire was bad, but this is worse than I thought. This isn’t justice or revenge. It’s genocide.” 

Gerard nodded gravely. “It’s why I left my job,” he said. “I can’t stand by when innocent people are suffering.” 

“Do you know anything else about this Inquisitorius?” Andy asked. Gerard shook his head, but Pete chimed in. 

“Patrick and I fought one of the Inquisitors,” he said. “His name is Brendon Urie, but he calls himself the Fourth Brother now. He’s working under a Sith Lord named Darth Vader.” 

“Darth Vader,” Andy said as he added that information to the file. “I’ve heard that name before, but nobody I’ve talked to seems to know anything about him.” 

Frank looked around, but everyone else seemed as clueless about Darth Vader as he was. He’d always believed in knowing the enemy, but there was so much about the Empire and the Sith Order that was still a total mystery. 

Andy dug around in a drawer, and he handed Gerard a huge stack of credit chips. “Thank you for giving the data pod to us,” he said. “You’ve helped the Rebellion a lot.” 

“No, thank you,” Gerard said. “The work you’re doing to take down the Empire is incredible.” 

Andy smiled, but that smile disappeared when he looked back at the data reader. “There’s a list of surviving Jedi here,” he said. 

“It’s not complete, of course,” Gerard said. 

“Right, because Patrick and I are still here,” Pete said. 

“There could be other survivors as well,” Patrick told Andy as Pete stole his hat and put it on. When Patrick realized what had happened, he shouted, “Pete! Give that back!” 

As Patrick tried to get his hat back, Andy said, “The Inquisitorius is probably using this as a hit list as we speak, but we can fight back.” 

“How?” Frank asked. 

“We can figure out where the surviving Jedi are and protect them from the Inquisitorius. We can make sure they stay hidden from the Empire,” Andy said. “Now that I think about it, we could use your guys’ help. With two Jedi…” 

“Three, actually,” Pete said. 

“I’m not a Jedi!” Mikey exclaimed. 

“You’re close enough.” 

“...you could make a huge difference in the fight against the Empire,” Andy continued. 

All of a sudden, he looked toward all six of them: Pete, Patrick, Mikey, Ray, Gerard, and Frank. “Will you do it?” he asked. “Will you join the Rebellion?”


	20. Chapter 20

_“We value both peace and justice, but what do we do when the only way to achieve justice is through war?” - Loh Ponn, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Patrick wanted to say yes, but there was something stopping him. His heart told him that this was the right thing to do, that he owed this to the other surviving Jedi, but his head wasn’t so sure. The Jedi were peacekeepers, not warriors, or so he told himself. After years of brutal warfare, the last thing Patrick needed was to fight against the Empire. He looked toward Pete for guidance, hoping that he might know what to do. 

“Yeah, of course I’ll join,” Pete blurted out, and Patrick rolled his eyes, wondering why he even bothered to listen to Pete. He spent hours each day reading from _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , but he didn’t heed his predecessors’ advice. He was all passion and chaos, never following the Jedi Code. He was everything Patrick stood against, yet he still got a fluttering feeling in his stomach whenever Pete was around. He trusted him, cared about him, but he had to keep his distance. Whenever he thought of Pete, he felt the pull of the dark side, and he couldn’t fall, not after everything they’d been through. 

“I think I need more time to think about it,” Patrick said, and when he looked around, the others seemed to agree with him. 

“Take your time,” Andy said. “Just let me know what you decide.” 

Patrick walked away from the rebel base, feeling conflicted as he thought about whether or not to join the Truwel Rebellion. He wanted to help his fellow Jedi, but he wasn’t sure that waging war on the Empire was the best way to do it. He’d been through enough during the Clone Wars. Maybe it was time to find a quiet planet to live on and go into hiding. Maybe he’d make music, take care of cute animals, learn a new language, do anything but rebel against the Empire. He couldn’t bring himself to do that though. He knew that the galaxy was bigger than just himself. He had to fight, not just for the Jedi Order, but for all of the oppressed people of the galaxy. It was the right thing to do. 

Then again, just because it was right didn’t mean it was easy. 

All of a sudden, Patrick realized that someone was following him. He looked back, and he saw Pete there. “Hey Trick,” Pete said. “What’s up?” 

“Leave me alone, Pete,” Patrick muttered. 

“How come you don’t want to join the Truwel Rebellion with me?” Pete asked. 

“We’re not supposed to be warriors, Pete.” 

“But we are supposed to stand up for what’s right.” 

Patrick nodded. “There has to be a better way though.” 

“I’m not sure there is. If we don’t fight them, the Empire will kill us. We need to take them down, destroy them once and for all.” Pete sighed and said, “Besides, I’ll miss you if you leave.”

“I’ll miss you too,” Patrick said. As much as Pete got on his nerves, he didn’t know what he’d do without him. He couldn’t imagine traveling through the galaxy alone. 

The more he thought about it, the clearer it all became. He had to join the Rebellion. Peace was useless without justice, and there was no justice when the Empire was destroying planets, when they were killing his fellow Jedi. The Empire had to fall, and when it was finally gone, maybe, just maybe, the Jedi could rebuild. 

Patrick looked straight into Pete’s gorgeous deep brown eyes, and he said, “I’m joining the Rebellion.” 

“Great,” Pete said. “Let’s go tell Joe and Andy.” 

Meanwhile, Gerard and Frank were just outside the base, arguing over whether or not to join the Rebellion. “We have to go to Ilum,” Gerard said. “It’s the only place where Mikey will be safe.” 

“He’ll be fine here,” Frank said. 

Frank knew what he wanted, and Gerard wasn’t going to convince him otherwise. The Truwel Rebellion was quickly becoming more and more powerful. Soon, they’d be strong enough to bring down the Empire, and Frank wanted to be on their side when they did. He couldn’t wait to watch the Empire fall, see them crumble to their knees, helpless. He was born to be a rebel, and if there was anything worth rebelling against, it was the Empire. 

“The Empire has already attacked Truwel twice,” Gerard argued. “Mikey won’t be safe here.” 

“Stop worrying about Mikey!” Frank shouted. “He’s his own person. Let him make his own choices.” 

“He’s my little brother. I have to look out for him.” 

“He can look out for himself.” 

“He’s only sixteen.” 

“At that age, I was robbing banks and smuggling spice with the best of them. He’ll be fine.” 

“The Inquisitorius will kill him if they find out that he’s Force-sensitive.” 

“Pete’s training him, right?” Frank said. Gerard nodded. “Soon, he’ll be able to fight the Inquisitorius himself. He won’t even need us to help him. Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.” 

“But…” 

“Can’t you think of yourself for once, Gerard?” Frank said. “What do you want?” 

Gerard paused to think and then he said, “I want to be an artist. I want to create something that will make a difference. I want to make my mark. I want to change the galaxy. I want to be free. I want to feel alive.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Frank said, but Gerard wasn’t quite done. 

“I don’t care where I go from here, Frank,” he said. “I just...I don’t want to leave you.” 

Frank smiled, barely able to believe what he was hearing. Maybe they wouldn’t have to say goodbye quite yet. Maybe he could keep Gerard by his side for a little bit longer. Maybe he’d finally get the chance to tell him how he felt someday. 

“Then join us,” Frank said. “Join the Truwel Rebellion.” 

Gerard thought about it for a while. “What if it gets dangerous?” he finally asked. 

“If it does, then we’ll leave,” Frank assured him. Gerard still looked unsure, so Frank said, “Listen, I’ll still take you to Ilum, but only if it’s what _you_ want. Not Mikey. Not anyone else. You.” 

Gerard stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he said, “Okay. I’ll join the Rebellion, and I’ll stay here with you for now.” 

Frank grinned, ran over to Gerard, and gave him a hug, almost tackling him. “We’ll be rebels together!” he exclaimed. 

“I...I guess so,” Gerard stammered, but it was enough for Frank. He’d allied himself with the Truwel Rebellion, and soon, they’d destroy the Galactic Empire. Best of all, he had Gerard by his side. Somehow, Frank got the feeling that for once, everything was going to be okay. 

When Frank, Gerard, Pete, and Patrick returned to the base to tell Andy that they were joining the Truwel Rebellion, Ray was already there, but Mikey was nowhere to be found. “Are you joining the Rebellion too?” Frank asked Ray. 

“Of course,” Ray said. “The Empire were the ones who forced us clones to kill the only friends we had. We have to destroy it.” 

“Where’s Mikey?” Gerard asked. 

“I don’t know,” Ray said. Gerard sighed and then left the building to go look for his younger brother. After he was gone, Ray turned to Frank and asked, “When are we going to Kriselist though? If I don’t get that chip out of my head, I’ll have to obey the Empire’s orders.” 

“Soon, hopefully,” Frank said, although he had no idea when he’d get a chance to take Ray to Kriselist. There was so much that needed to be done and not nearly enough time to do it. 

They waited around for a while, chatting amongst themselves. Patrick spent quite a bit of time talking to Joe and Andy, learning more about the two of them and about the Rebellion as a whole, while Frank desperately hoped that this wasn’t a repeat of what had happened on Alderaan. 

Eventually, Gerard returned with Mikey. “I’m not joining the Rebellion,” Mikey declared almost as soon as he was inside. 

“Why not?” Pete asked him. 

“I’m not from Truwel,” Mikey said. “It’s not my fight.” 

“You can still help.” 

“I don’t want to. I’d rather go home.” 

“I don’t know how you’re going to do that, Mikey,” Frank said. “All of us are staying here.” 

“And there aren’t any passenger ferries that come to Truwel,” Joe added. 

All of a sudden, Mikey realized how hopeless his situation was. If all of the others were staying on Truwel, he was stuck here too. “Fine,” he said. “I’m staying here, but I’m still not joining the Rebellion.” 

Andy glanced at the others, shrugged, and said, “Five out of six isn’t bad.” He then got up and started walking down the hallway. “Come on,” he said to the others. “Let’s introduce you guys to the rest of the Truwel Rebellion.”


	21. Chapter 21

_“No matter what happens, don’t forget to look up at the stars once in a while.” - Ephin Baskalar, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As it turned out, the Black Mariah crew fit in perfectly with the rest of the Rebellion. It wasn’t long before they all became close friends with Andy and Joe, and as they trained, they got to know some of the others as well. The Truwel Rebellion was a diverse lot - there were princes and paupers, humans and aliens, those who wanted to restore the Republic and those who wanted a new form of government, people from every walk of life. The only thing they all had in common was a deep desire to destroy the Empire once and for all. 

The more time Frank spent on Truwel, the more he realized that Joe wasn’t exaggerating when he’d said that half the city was involved in the Rebellion. Even Hayley, the woman who had insisted that the Truwel Rebellion didn’t exist, was actually Andy’s second-in-command. With so many people committed to the Empire’s destruction, Frank was sure that it would fall before too much longer. Soon, the galaxy would be free. 

While they were training, Frank tried to spend as much time as he could with Gerard. He practiced flying starfighters with him, read his favorite comic books, and took him out for coffee. Sometimes they talked for hours, sharing every last secret they had. 

“Target practice is impossible,” Gerard complained to Frank after training was over one day. “I didn’t realize being a rebel was so much work.” 

“It just takes practice,” Frank said. 

“But I’m no good with a blaster, Frank. I can’t aim to save my life.” 

“How about I help you?” 

Gerard thought about it and then said, “Yeah. That would be great.” 

He took out his blaster and held it into the air. “Try aiming for the tree over there,” Frank instructed. 

“Which tree?” Gerard said. “There are a million of them.” 

“That one,” Frank said as he pointed toward the tree right in front of them. Gerard still looked confused, but he readied his blaster anyways. “Not quite,” Frank said as he repositioned Gerard’s fingers, relishing the feeling of his soft skin. “You need a better grip on the blaster. That will help you aim better.” 

“Maybe I should just stick to drawing,” Gerard grumbled as he pulled the trigger. The blaster bolt flew out of the gun and narrowly missed the tree he was aiming for. 

“Almost,” Frank said. “Try aiming a little further to the left.” 

Gerard tried again, and this time, the blaster bolt passed right through the center of the tree, burning a hole in it. When he looked toward Frank and smiled, Frank felt his heart pounding. He wondered how he’d gotten lucky enough to end up with someone like Gerard as his friend, and he wondered if they could ever be more than that. 

“That was amazing,” Frank said. 

“It was all because of you,” Gerard said. 

“I didn’t do anything. You were the one who fired the blaster.” 

Gerard paused and then said, “You know, they’re teaching us to kill. Who’s teaching me to love?” 

In the moment, Frank couldn’t find the right thing to say, but Gerard’s words stuck with him. When he was curled up inside the Black Mariah that night, drifting off to sleep, they echoed in his head, over and over again. Somehow, he found a little bit of comfort in what Gerard had said. 

Because he knew exactly who was teaching him to love. 

Meanwhile, Mikey was learning something completely different. He was spending his days with Pete, honing his abilities and strengthening his connection to the Force. While his brother was busy learning how to shoot a blaster, he was lifting rocks, learning to use Pete’s lightsaber, and spending long hours chatting with his new friend. Pete kept on trying to convince him to join the Rebellion, but Mikey knew better than to get involved. More than anything, he could hardly believe that all of this was real, that he’d had this power within him all along, that it was growing stronger with each passing day. 

There was one problem, however. Pete was running out of things to teach him. Mikey had easily mastered Force pushes, Force pulls, Jedi Mind Tricks, and five of the seven forms of lightsaber combat. Pete stayed up late at night, poring over _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , wondering what else he could possibly teach Mikey, but he knew that soon, the apprentice would become the master. 

Mikey may have learned the basics of the Force in a matter of days instead of years, but there was one thing he hadn’t quite figured out: flying lunges. Unfortunately, Pete wasn’t very experienced with those either. He’d never quite figured out how to do it, and he wasn’t sure how to help when Mikey was already better than he ever was. 

One day, Pete was trying to show Mikey how to do a flying lunge, but he wasn’t having much luck. He couldn’t jump high enough to pull it off, and when he landed, he fell flat on his face. “I’m sorry, Mikey,” he said as he got up from the ground. “You deserve a better teacher.” 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Pete,” Mikey assured him, but Pete wouldn’t listen. 

“I just wish I was better at all of this,” he said. “It took me ten years to learn how to slash properly, and Patrick still thinks I fight like a Youngling. You figured it out in ten minutes.”

All of a sudden, Patrick walked by. “Speak of the devil,” Pete said under his breath. As Mikey connected with the Force, hoping to figure out what exactly was going on between Pete and Patrick, Pete called out, “Hey Lunchbox! Can you help me teach Mikey how to do a flying lunge?” 

“Of course,” Patrick said. He took out his blue-green lightsaber and said, “It’s not too hard. You just shift your weight onto your front foot and then explosively push off. The Force will help you through the rest.” 

“Can you show me?” Mikey asked. 

“Sure,” Patrick said. He leapt into the air, flying far above Pete and Mikey before landing on the other side of them, ready to fight. His movements were smooth and graceful, and Pete was amazed by how gorgeous he looked when he was fighting. He made it all look easy, something Pete could never do. 

Patrick put down his lightsaber and turned to Mikey. “Why don’t you try?” 

“Okay,” Mikey said nervously as Pete handed his lightsaber to him. He stepped forward with one foot and then launched himself upwards, copying Patrick’s movements perfectly. Every single motion was carefully calculated, and when he landed, he landed on his feet, his lightsaber at the ready. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said. “For your first try, that was amazing.” 

Mikey beamed, proud of his hard work. “Maybe you should teach him from now on,” Pete suggested. 

“You’re the only one he ever seems to listen to.” 

“But you’re a better Jedi than me.” 

“You’re a good Jedi too. You just need to follow the Code.” 

“Face it, Patrick,” Pete said. “There’s no one telling us to follow the Code anymore. It’s worthless.” 

“What’s the Code?” Mikey asked. 

“You didn’t teach him about the Jedi Code?” Patrick said, horrified. 

“There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force,” Pete recited. “There. I taught it to him.” 

“And no emotion means no attachment,” Patrick said. “No marriage, no relationships, no falling in love.” 

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Pete said, desperately hoping that Patrick might listen to him for once. 

“Of course it does. It’s how it’s always been, ever since the inception of the Order.” 

“It doesn’t have to stay that way. We could change it. We could give in to our emotions. We could find balance in the Force. We could fall in love.” 

“Pete, let it go,” Patrick said. 

“Why should I?” 

“Because I don’t love you.” 

Even Mikey could tell that wasn’t quite true, but he knew he didn’t want to get involved. He gave Pete his lightsaber back and walked back toward the rebel base. Pete and Patrick hardly noticed him leave - they were too busy arguing with each other to pay any attention to Mikey. 

When he approached the base, he found Ray and Joe talking outside. “Hey Mikey,” Ray said to him. “How’s training going?” 

“It’s okay,” Mikey said. “Pete and Patrick got into a big fight, but I did learn how to do a flying lunge.”

“Are they doing okay?” Joe asked. 

“I think so,” Mikey said. 

“I worry about them sometimes,” Ray said. “They’ve both lost everything - their friends, their masters, their whole lives - and in Patrick’s case, it’s my fault.” 

“It’s not your fault, Ray,” Joe said. “The Empire never gave you a choice. They forced the clone troopers to kill the Jedi.” 

“I just wish I could have stopped it.” 

“Ray, you can’t get caught up in the past when we have the future to worry about. We’ll destroy the Empire, and we’ll make them pay for what they’ve done.” 

“I hope you’re right,” Ray said. All of a sudden, he turned to Mikey. “Have you changed your mind about joining the Rebellion yet?” 

“No,” Mikey said. “As I said, it’s not my fight.” 

“That doesn’t mean you can’t help us.” 

“I still don’t want to join.” 

Ray shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said. 

Mikey and Ray talked for a little while, but eventually, Mikey realized that he needed to get back to his training. He had to strengthen his connection to the Force if he wanted to make it through this. “I should probably get back to work,” he said. 

“Yeah, I probably should too,” Ray said. “We have to make sure we’re ready to fight the Empire.” 

Mikey still had no desire to join the Rebellion, but there was a certain appeal to undermining a fascist government, doing what was right for the galaxy, being a part of something bigger than yourself. He refused to follow in their footsteps, but he could understand why all of his friends - not to mention his brother - had joined the Rebellion. 

He said goodbye to Ray and headed back to where Pete and Patrick were, but somehow, the two of them were still bickering like an old married couple. 

“And then you replaced it with a picture of Jabba The Hutt,” Patrick said bitterly. “Who does that?” 

“It was just a prank!” Pete said. 

“It wasn’t very funny.” 

Mikey tuned them out and kept walking, but Pete couldn’t ignore their conversation. He hated that he and Patrick were fighting again, but what could he do? He was heartbroken. As he tried to think of a clever reply, he remembered a piece of Jedi wisdom, one that had stuck with him. 

_Don’t forget to look up at the stars once in a while._

Pete looked upwards, and as he watched the early sunset, he wondered if anyone noticed, if anyone cared. Did it even matter that he was in love with Patrick? Was it a mistake to tell him how he felt? He would have taken a bullet for the boy with the blue-green eyes, but he was the one behind the trigger. 

The glittering stars in the distance grew larger and larger until Pete realized what was really happening. They weren’t stars at all - they were spaceships. He identified the ships one by one - old Republic cruisers, V-wings, TIE fighters, Star Destroyers. Practically the whole Imperial fleet was here, and they were coming for Truwel. 

All of a sudden, Gerard walked up to Pete, Patrick, and Mikey. “What’s going on?” he asked them. 

“Look up,” Pete said, and Gerard glanced toward the sky. 

“Oh, wow,” Gerard said. “Here comes the end.”


	22. Chapter 22

_“Freedom is the greatest gift a person can have.” - Liakanta, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As Pete, Patrick, and Gerard rushed toward the rebel base, ready to defend Truwel from the Imperial fleet, Mikey hesitated, unsure what to do. He wasn’t part of the Rebellion, and even if he was, he wouldn’t be much help. He was a boy, not a hero. 

Mikey looked up one more time, and he nearly trembled from the fear. The Imperial ships were coming closer and closer, and he wasn’t sure what they’d do once they landed. He wasn’t ready for this. None of them were. 

“Mikey!” Gerard shouted. “What are you doing? Come on!” 

He realized that he didn’t have much of a choice. If he stayed here, the Empire would obliterate him. He ran after his brother, adrenaline rushing through his veins. When he caught up to Gerard, he tried to relax, catch his breath, and connect to the Force, but all he got was an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He didn’t know what would happen next, so he raced after Gerard, following him to the rebel base. 

When they got there, the base was swarming with people. Andy was directing them, telling them exactly what to do. “Joe, I want you on the X-wing, and Hayley, you can take one of the Y-wings,” he said. “Frank, maybe you can fly a Y-wing as well?” 

“I have my own ship,” Frank said. Andy was about to say something, but Frank glared at him and said, “I’m not fighting unless I can fly the Black Mariah.” 

Andy sighed. “Fine, you can fly your ship,” he said. “I’ll need someone else to go with you though.” 

“I volunteer!” Gerard exclaimed as he and Frank ran onto the brightly painted TIE fighter. 

“Okay,” Andy said. “Ray, you can take one of the interceptors, and Pete and Mikey, you two can fly the other Y-wing.”

Mikey looked at Pete nervously. “You can do it,” Pete assured him. “It’s not that hard, and I’ll help you.” 

Mikey nodded, but he was still anxious. “What about me?” Patrick asked Andy. 

“I want you to stay on the ground,” Andy said. “If there are any Force users in their ranks, I want you to fight them.” 

“Of course,” Patrick said. 

Mikey didn’t listen to the rest of their conversation. Instead, he climbed aboard the Y-wing with Pete. “I don’t really know how to fly this thing,” he admitted to Pete. 

“You’ll figure it out,” Pete said. “As I said, it’s not that hard, especially when we’ve got R1-69 with us.” 

Mikey looked back at the red-plated astromech droid. “Did you seriously name it that?” he said. When Pete didn’t answer, he said, “You might be the most immature Jedi I’ve ever met.” 

“Why thank you,” Pete said. He started up the ship’s engine and then turned to Mikey and said, “May the Force be with you.” 

“You too, Pete,” Mikey said. 

All of a sudden, Pete pushed a lever forward, and the ship jerked forward and launched into the air. They were ready to defend Truwel, ready to fight the Empire, and it felt like nothing could stop them now. 

Meanwhile, Frank and Gerard were already in the air, desperately trying to fight off the Empire’s TIE fighters. “Frank, could you slow down a bit?” Gerard said, holding onto the wall of the ship for dear life. 

“Hang on,” Frank said. “I just need one more good shot, and the fighter on the left will be toast.” He pushed a series of buttons on the control panel, and the Black Mariah fired its laser cannons, sending the enemy TIE fighter spinning. However, there were still plenty of ships left. The Truwel Rebellion was huge, but it was no match for the Imperial fleet. 

Frank spotted an Imperial ship preparing to attack, but he quickly steered out of the way and piloted upwards, into the upper atmosphere. Gerard looked terrified, and Frank wished he could comfort him, but there was no time. When Frank looked down, the Imperials had shot down one of the Rebel ships. He was painfully aware that could have been him. He fired at the Imperial ships once again and then ducked back down, closer to the city. 

Before Frank could do anything, one of the Imperial ships dropped a bomb on Truwel City, causing several buildings to explode into flames. Even from this height, Frank could see people fleeing from the burning buildings, and he could hear their piercing screams. “I can’t believe it,” Gerard said. “They shouldn’t be allowed to do that. They’re civilians!” 

“They’re the Empire,” Frank said. “They can do whatever they want.” 

“All of those innocent people…” Gerard said.

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. “We’ll get our revenge.” 

The Imperial fleet was quickly destroying the Truwel Rebellion and their ships, but Frank knew he could fight back. He piloted closer to the ship that had dropped the bomb, and he fired once again. He missed the first time, but when he fired a second time, the ship’s hull burst into flames. He smiled and high-fived Gerard as he aimed toward another Imperial ship, ready to take that one down too. 

As Frank shot down ship after ship, he spotted a small TIE fighter out of the corner of his eye. He steered toward it, but he wasn’t nearly fast enough. Before Frank could reach it, the TIE fighter touched down near the rebel base. After it landed, a man in black armor stepped out. He ignited a red lightsaber, and all of a sudden, Frank knew there was nothing he could do. He steered the Black Mariah away from the rebel base, and he focused on the legion of starfighters in front of him. He readied the laser cannons one more time, and he fired at the Imperial ships. There was never any doubt in his mind about how the battle would turn out. This time, he was sure the Rebellion would prevail. 

As the Black Mariah flew overhead, fighting off Imperial ships, Patrick ignited his blue-green lightsaber and stepped closer to the man in black armor, the man he knew to be Darth Vader. “We don’t have to fight,” Patrick said. “I’m willing to negotiate.” 

“You’re Ki-Adi-Mundi’s apprentice, are you not?” Darth Vader said. Patrick nodded. “Mundi was weak, powerless…” 

“No he wasn’t!” Patrick shouted. 

“...and now, you’re just like him. You cling to the old ways, refusing to see the power of the dark side. You think you’re a rebel, a freedom fighter, but you’re nothing more than a traitor.” Vader paused and then said, “The Empire does not negotiate with the likes of you.” 

Darth Vader swung his lightsaber toward Patrick, but he easily parried and counter-attacked. Vader lunged toward him again, barely missing his chest, and as sweat dripped down his face, Patrick slashed toward Vader, but he couldn’t get a good hit. He was by far the most difficult opponent Patrick had ever faced, and he wondered where Vader had learned to wield a lightsaber. From his technique, Patrick suspected that Vader had trained with the Jedi at some point, but sometimes, he threw in an aggressive attack that was unlike anything Patrick had ever learned from them. He constantly found himself on the defensive, parrying off Vader’s attacks instead of landing any of his own. Vader was in control of the fight, and Patrick had to find a way to turn the tide. 

Their lightsabers clashed again and again, but it didn’t feel like it was going anywhere. Patrick’s mind was racing, trying to keep up with his enemy, and his hands were constantly moving, guided by the will of the Force. He was well aware that even a single hit could kill him, so he deflected each of Vader’s strikes, but it was no use if he couldn’t get a chance to counter-attack. 

“You won’t defeat me with calm precision,” Vader said. “You need fear, anger, hatred. You need to give in to your emotions.” 

“Never,” Patrick said as he swung his lightsaber toward Vader, but once again, he missed. It felt like the Force was working against him. Vader attacked him one more time, and Patrick countered, but he was quickly becoming exhausted. His arms felt like jelly, and his feet felt like they might collapse under him. At this point, he didn’t care if he won the fight. He’d be lucky if he got out of this alive. 

Patrick looked around for a second, and he realized that Vader had pushed him near a cliff. At any second, he could push him over the edge with his lightsaber, and he would be dead instantly. He had to move away from the cliff before Vader killed him. 

Patrick stepped away from the edge of the cliff and swung toward Vader, but he aimed too high, leaving his left side exposed. Vader immediately lunged toward Patrick’s arm and chopped off his left hand. Patrick screamed, too shocked to fight back. Pain shot through his left arm as he tried to think of ways to attack Vader one-handed, but it all hurt too much. He wanted to surrender, but he knew he couldn’t give up yet. He charged toward Vader, attempting a one-handed slice. 

That was when Darth Vader raised his hand and used to Force to push Patrick over the edge. 

He screamed as he tumbled backward, flying through the air, but before he’d fallen too far, he dropped his lightsaber and grabbed onto a piece of rock with his one good hand. He’d lost his left hand and his only weapon, but if he held on, maybe someone would rescue him. Maybe, just maybe, he’d make it out of here alive. 

As the battle wound down, Joe flew over the surface of the planet. The Imperial fleet had been decimated, but so had the Truwel Rebellion. Truwel City was burning, and the Empire had shot down hundreds of their ships. Some of Joe’s closest friends had perished in the battle. He wiped away tears as he flew over the wreckage, and as he turned on the radio, he heard reports from the ground, telling him who had lived and who had died. 

“Pete Wentz and Mikey Way’s ship crashed,” Joe heard. 

“Are they okay?” he asked. 

“They’re surprisingly unharmed,” the person on the other end said, and Joe breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure if he could take any more death. There were already too many fallen rebels: Tyler, Josh, Helena, Jenny…

He couldn’t let that list get any longer. 

Frank, Gerard, and Ray were still in the air, fighting off the last remnants of the Imperial fleet, but soon, the few remaining ships flew off. Joe smiled as he realized what this meant. They’d won. For now, Truwel was free. 

But was it worth it when they’d lost so much? 

Joe flew closer to the rebel base, but all of a sudden, he noticed someone hanging off a nearby cliff. He landed the ship, stepped outside, and saw that it was Patrick, hanging onto a piece of rock for dear life. His left hand ended in a stump, and he was wincing in pain as Joe called Andy over for help. As the two of them lifted him onto solid ground, Joe asked, “What happened to you, Patrick?” 

“I fought Darth Vader, and he cut off my hand and threw me off of a cliff,” Patrick explained, breathless. 

“We’ll get you fixed up,” Joe said. “It’s going to be okay.” 

Patrick nodded, and the three of them walked back toward the base. Joe was just relieved that they’d won the battle. The Empire hadn’t taken over yet. They’d lost their ships, their city, and their friends, but they’d taken the world back from the heart-attacked. They were free, and they were victorious.


	23. Chapter 23

_“Sometimes, even when you win, you lose, and sometimes, even when you lose, you win.” - Riev Jobl, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Almost as soon as the Empire left, the Truwel Rebellion announced that they were throwing a party. They’d successfully beaten back the Empire, and now, it was time to celebrate their freedom. Sure, Truwel City had been burned to the ground, and there were more dead rebels and broken ships than they could count, but they’d won. They’d rise from the ashes like a phoenix, and someday, they’d overthrow the Empire for good. 

Today was not that day. 

Today, Patrick was at the cantina. Today, he was desperate to dull the pain, desperate to forget. Today, he was trying to treat the world better than it had treated him, but it wasn’t working. He reached for another glass of wine with his new left hand and downed it immediately. The robotic hand was a perfect replacement for the one Darth Vader had severed, cold metal replacing the flesh and blood he’d lost, but there was still phantom pain running up and down his arm. No matter what he did, nothing could stop it. 

That wasn’t even his biggest problem. He should have been able to defeat Darth Vader. He’d trained for this. He was at the top of his class. His master had said that he was strong, sensible, compassionate, everything a Jedi should be. Yet, he’d failed. When it came down to it, he wasn’t strong enough to fight a Sith Lord. Compared to Darth Vader, he was nothing. 

Just as Patrick was about to order another drink, Joe walked into the cantina and sat next to him. “Hey Patrick,” Joe said. “Are you doing okay?” 

“I think so,” Patrick lied. 

“That’s good to hear.” He paused and then said, “I just don’t know why everyone’s celebrating when we’ve lost so much. Helena hasn’t even had her funeral yet.” 

Patrick had barely known her, but his heart still broke whenever he heard about all of the rebels who had died in the fight. They’d given up their lives for the rebellion. The least he could do was honor their memory. 

“I’m sorry, Joe,” Patrick said. 

“What are you talking about?” Joe said. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” 

“I’m sorry you lost so many of your friends, and I’m sorry I didn’t defeat Darth Vader.”

“Patrick, it’s not that big of a deal.” 

“As long as Vader’s alive, the Empire still has its leader. Our work’s not done yet.” 

“Of course it’s not, but Truwel’s free. Isn’t that something to celebrate?” 

Patrick wasn’t sure. There was still so much to do, so many other planets under the Empire’s rule, so many other Jedi whose lives were in danger. It seemed wrong to celebrate when they were so far from success. 

All of a sudden, the door opened, and Andy entered the cantina. Patrick smiled until he saw who was following him. It was the last person he wanted to see: Pete Wentz. 

Joe greeted them as they sat next to them. “Do you two want anything to drink?” Patrick asked, attempting to be polite. 

“Yeah, sure,” Pete said. 

“No, thanks,” Andy said. 

“He’s a straight edge,” Joe explained. 

“You know, you all did an amazing job out there,” Andy said. “I’m really impressed.” 

“Thank you,” Joe and Patrick said, while Pete guzzled down his drink. 

“That being said, I might put Mikey on the ground if this ever happens again. That kid clearly has no idea how to fly a Y-wing.” 

“Don’t blame him. He was doing great. I was the one who crashed,” Pete said. Andy raised an eyebrow, and Pete added, “Besides, he needs his own lightsaber first.” 

“You crashed?” Patrick said worriedly. 

“It’s not a big deal,” Pete said. 

“It’s a big deal to me! What if something happened to you?” 

“Mikey and I were both fine.”

“You still could have been hurt.” 

Patrick hated to admit it, but he thought about Pete all the time. He worried about him constantly, and when he closed his eyes, he saw Pete’s deep brown eyes, his tan skin, his intricate tattoos. He still felt his kiss on his lips. He didn’t know if this meant he was too attached, if he was falling to the dark side. He tried to distance himself from the affection he felt, but it never really worked, because deep inside, he knew he still had feelings for his fellow Jedi. 

“What about you?” Pete asked. 

“What about me?” 

“You fought Darth Vader, didn’t you?” Patrick nodded. “That’s amazing.” 

“Not really,” Patrick said. “He almost killed me.” 

“But he didn’t,” Pete said. “And next time, you’re going to beat him.” 

“I doubt it,” Patrick grumbled. 

“I don’t doubt it at all,” Pete said. “You’ve got to have more faith in yourself, Patrick, because you really are an amazing guy.” 

“You’re just saying that.” 

“I swear I’m not,” Pete said. “You’re sweet and kind, and you look adorable in that hat I bought you…” 

Patrick blushed. “You stole it, actually,” he reminded Pete. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Pete said. “Whether you defeat Darth Vader or not, you’re perfect to me.” 

Somehow, Pete’s words made Patrick feel a little better. He didn’t have the words to say it, but he regretted all of those arguments they’d had before the Empire attacked. Pete could be a pain sometimes, but he had far more hits than misses. He’d been through so much, but he didn’t get nearly enough attention, enough appreciation, enough love. 

Pete would be the death of him, but it was how he wanted to go. 

Outside the cantina, the rest of the Rebellion was busy celebrating. They were setting off fireworks and singing patriotic songs, but as Frank weaved his way through the crowd, he realized that the one person he wanted to see was missing. He should have been having a good time, but the party felt empty without Gerard. 

Eventually, he spotted him. He was standing off to the side, sketchbook in hand. As Frank approached him, he looked up, his beautiful hazel eyes meeting Frank’s. 

“Hey Gerard,” Frank said. “How come you’re not partying with us?” 

“It’s not really my scene,” Gerard explained. 

“You did great out there though. You deserve to celebrate.” 

Gerard laughed. “It was all you, Frank,” he said. “I just watched you shoot down all those TIE fighters.” 

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” 

Gerard still didn’t look like he believed Frank, but it was true. He wouldn’t have gotten out of that battle unscathed if it wasn’t for Gerard cheering him on. 

“You know, sometimes I wonder about what could have been,” Gerard said. “I could have overlooked that file in the Empire’s computer system, and then where would we be?”

Frank thought about it and then said, “We probably never would have met.” 

“I’d probably still be working for the Empire.” 

“And we both would be fifty thousand credits poorer!” 

They both laughed, and then Gerard said, “There’s probably a parallel universe somewhere out there where you never told me that you stole the data pod. You would have gotten all one hundred thousand credits.” 

“There’s probably a universe where I never stole the pod in the first place.” 

“There’s probably a universe where you didn’t give those diamonds away to Lando Calrissian.” 

“There’s probably a universe where we’re already dead.” 

“There’s probably a universe where we fell in love.” 

Frank took a deep breath. This was his chance. If he didn’t tell Gerard how he felt now, he might never get another opportunity. “That could happen in this universe,” he said. 

“Really?” Gerard said. 

Frank nodded. “Listen Gerard, I liked you almost from the moment I met you,” he said. “It just seemed like we were going in separate directions, and I was scared of getting too close, knowing that we would have to say goodbye. I’m not afraid anymore though. You see something in me that no one else does. You bring out the best in me, and I...I think you should know that. I think you should know that from the moment I saw you in that shipyard on Coruscant, all I wanted was you.” 

Gerard smiled. “I feel exactly the same way about you, Frank,” he said. 

Frank’s heart felt like it was about to burst, knowing that Gerard liked him back. Maybe this would be nothing more than a summer fling, but he’d never know if he never tried. He stepped closer to Gerard and said, “So what do you think? Do you want to…” 

“I’ve never wanted anything more,” Gerard said. 

As fireworks exploded in the distance, Frank and Gerard inched closer and closer. He could almost taste Gerard’s lips on his, and he was just about to close the last bit of space between them. He closed his eyes, his hands in Gerard’s bright red hair as he leaned in just a little bit closer. 

All of a sudden, he heard Mikey shout, “Gerard!” 

“What is it?” Gerard asked as he backed away from Frank. 

“Do you know where Pete is?” Mikey said. “I need to talk to him.” 

“No idea,” Gerard said. “Why? What’s going on?” 

“There’s a disturbance in the Force.” 

“Come on, Mikey,” Gerard said. “That’s not worth interrupting us for.” 

“I’m sorry,” Mikey said. “It seemed important.” 

Mikey walked away, heading back toward the party, but when Frank looked up at the sky, he saw ships coming, hundreds of them. He cursed under his breath as he watched a whole new battalion of TIE fighters fly toward the surface of Truwel. 

“Frank, what’s going on?” Gerard asked, but he soon realized exactly what was going on. The Empire was back.


	24. Chapter 24

_“Just because you’ve won the battle doesn’t mean you’ve won the war.” - Michada Crasar, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

When Patrick looked out the window, he instantly realized what was going on. He had sensed a disturbance in the Force earlier, but at first, he didn’t know what it could mean. Something had gone wrong, something big enough to disrupt the energy field binding the galaxy together, but he couldn’t imagine what it could be. Now, he knew. The Empire had returned after they’d decimated the Truwel Rebellion in their last battle. The Rebellion would need a miracle to win again. 

Patrick looked toward Andy, who got up and sprinted out of the cantina as soon as he realized the Empire was back. Pete, Joe, and Patrick followed him as he ran toward the base, and soon, the other rebels stopped partying and started heading in that direction too. There were far fewer of them than there had been before their last battle, but if they were lucky, it would be enough. If they were lucky, they’d go down in history. If they were lucky, maybe they would stand a chance against the Empire. 

“I want both Patrick and Mikey on the ground this time,” Andy said as a squadron of TIE fighters flew overhead. “Everyone else can take a ship.” 

Mikey looked at Patrick nervously as the others climbed aboard their ships. Pete and Joe got into Y-wings, Ray got into an interceptor, and Frank and Gerard took the Black Mariah. Patrick sensed that something had changed between those two, although he couldn’t say what. As they climbed onto the ship, Patrick glimpsed Gerard reaching for Frank’s hand. _Maybe Pete was right about them after all,_ he thought. 

One by one, the ships launched into the air, but the Empire had five times as many, and they were already firing on the remains on Truwel City. He crossed his fingers that Pete would be okay, that all of them would make it out alive. He hoped that their ragtag army would be enough to take them down, but at the same time, he worried that they’d finally met their match. 

He looked up, searching for Vader’s TIE fighter, but he didn’t find it. Maybe he just couldn’t see it, or maybe Vader wasn’t there at all. They could have sent an Inquisitor instead, or maybe there weren’t any Force users here this time. Maybe he and Mikey were here for nothing. 

Nevertheless, Patrick ignited his lightsaber. If Darth Vader was here, he’d be ready. 

Far above Patrick and Mikey, Joe aimed his cannons at an enemy ship, hoping to deal some damage. He fired, causing the engine of the Imperial ship to explode. He smiled as he shot down two more ships with the help of his astromech droid. He knew he was serving the Rebellion well, and he couldn’t wait until the Imperial fleet was gone for good and he could go back to celebrating with his friends, new and old.

As he dodged another bolt and fired at the Imperials once again, Joe dreamed of what things would be like after they defeated the Empire. Truwel would be free, and soon, the whole galaxy would be too. They could restore the Republic, or they could make a whole new government. Andy always told him that he hoped there wouldn’t be a government at all after the Empire fell. Every person in the galaxy would be free to live however they wished. There would be no rules to follow. No one would tell them what they should or shouldn’t do with their planet. There would be liberty for every being in the galaxy. 

All they had to do was overthrow the Empire. 

Joe shot down ship after ship, but it wasn’t enough. There were too many of them, and he couldn’t dodge them forever. His Y-wing, the Horseshoe Crab, had already taken some damage - the accelerator was broken, and one of the engines had blown out - but he could still shoot down a few more TIE fighters. He fired at another group of Imperial ships and then aimed his cannons at a Star Destroyer. 

All of a sudden, the Star Destroyer fired, directly hitting Joe’s only working engine. He tried to correct the Horseshoe Crab’s course, but it was already plummeting. He pushed every button, pulled every letter, but there was nothing he could do. He was coming closer to the surface with every passing second. He could already see the trees, the grass, the rocks below him, where his ship would shatter into pieces. 

No matter what he did, he was going to crash.

Back on the ground, Mikey turned to Patrick and asked, “Where did you get that?” 

“The lightsaber?” Patrick said as he twirled his weapon. “I built it when I was younger.” All of a sudden, he realized something important. “You don’t have a lightsaber, do you?” 

“No, I don’t,” Mikey said. 

Patrick started to panic. “What if Darth Vader shows up?” he said. “You’ll be unarmed!” He tried to think about what they could do. “Listen, we’ve got to find somewhere for you to hide,” Patrick said. “I’ll be okay, but the Empire can’t find you, not when you have no way to defend yourself.” 

Patrick turned off his lightsaber and started heading back toward the rebel base, and Mikey reluctantly followed him. Mikey knew he’d be safer with a weapon, but he didn’t understand why Patrick was freaking out so much. He had the Force to protect him, didn’t he? 

All of a sudden, Mikey looked up, and he saw Joe Trohman’s ship falling toward the ground. “Patrick!” he shouted as he gestured toward the sky. 

Patrick raised his right hand, the one that Darth Vader hadn’t cut off, into the air, and just as the Horseshoe Crab was about to crash, he lifted it into the air with the Force. The Y-wing hovered in the air, just above the ground. However, the seconds kept on ticking, and the Empire kept on firing on the Horseshoe Crab. Patrick held the ship up, but when Mikey looked at his face, it was clear that the effort was wearing him out. 

Mikey looked into the distance, and he spotted the Black Mariah, maneuvering back and forth in hopes of dodging the Empire’s cannons. It seemed like Frank and Gerard were getting a few good shots in, but that didn’t change the fact that the Black Mariah was one of the last rebel ships still in the air. The Imperial ships were doing everything they could to destroy Frank’s brightly painted TIE fighter. 

Suddenly, one of the Empire’s cruisers hit the Black Mariah. The engine caught fire, causing the whole ship to come crashing down in a ball of flames. As soon as Patrick realized what was going on, he extended his left arm, using the Force to keep the Black Mariah from smashing into the ground. Now, he was holding two ships in the air - Joe’s and Frank’s - but the effort was nearly killing him. 

As the Black Mariah burned, Mikey desperately hoped Gerard was okay. Gerard could be a pain sometimes, but he was his brother. They had always been there for each other. Gerard’s whole life flashed before his younger brother’s eyes, from the days they’d spent reading comic books together when they were young to the time when Gerard had taken Mikey to see their favorite band to the weeks they’d spent traveling through space with Frank and Ray. Mikey couldn’t imagine life without his older brother. He was the one constant in his life, and now, he might be gone forever. 

Mikey blinked back tears as he thought of Gerard and Frank turning to ashes inside the Black Mariah, but Patrick was doing everything he could to keep his friends alive. However, it wasn’t enough. Patrick collapsed, and both the Black Mariah and the Horseshoe Crab fell to the ground. 

“Are you okay?” Mikey asked. 

Patrick’s breathing was heavy and labored, and he looked exhausted. “I can’t do it anymore, Mikey,” he said. “I’m not strong enough.” 

Mikey helped him up, and he said, “No, you’re not. You did everything you could. I never could have lifted up those ships.” 

He looked up again, but now that the rebel ships were gone, the Imperial fleet was free to land on Truwel. The Imperial ships slowly drifted toward the surface of the planet, and Mikey and Patrick exchanged a look. Other than Andy, they were the only rebels on the ground. They were the only ones with the power to stop the Empire. 

Mikey and Patrick both sprinted toward the rebel base, and when they got there, Patrick ignited his lightsaber, Mikey grabbed the largest blaster he could find, and the two of them stood outside, ready to face the onslaught of stormtroopers. The Empire was better prepared, better equipped, and they by far outnumbered the rebels, but Patrick and Mikey had the Force on their side. They could win. 

Meanwhile, Joe frantically tried to turn on the Horseshoe Crab’s radio, hoping to get a hold of Andy. He’d survived the crash, but it seemed like the Rebellion was in deep trouble. The Empire had shot down all of their ships, and now, they’d landed on Truwel. There were AT-AT walkers coming past his window and squadrons of stormtroopers running by, with hardly anyone there to stop them. Joe just wanted to know what he was supposed to do next. 

All of a sudden, the radio turned on. “Andy?” Joe said. 

“Yes?” Andy answered. 

“This is Joe Trohman.” 

“Joe? Thank goodness you’re alive!”

“The Empire’s landed,” Joe said nervously. 

“I know,” Andy said. “Just hold on.” 

“But they’re heading toward the rebel base!” 

Andy took a deep breath. “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “Save yourself.” 

Joe grabbed his blaster, ran out of the Horseshoe Crab, and started shooting at the stormtroopers. He kept the radio on, and as long as he heard Andy’s voice, he knew everything would be okay. The Truwel Rebellion was still alive, and someday, they would take down the Empire. 

He fired again and again, and as he made his way across the battlefield, he found Patrick and Mikey, fighting like their lives depended on it. Over and over again, Joe and Mikey fired at the stormtroopers, and Patrick slashed at them with his lightsaber, but as the battle went on, it felt like they were barely surviving, much less truly attacking the Empire. 

Just as Joe was aiming toward one of the AT-ATs, the radio went silent. Joe panicked, but there wasn’t much he could do. He hoped Andy was okay, but even if he wasn’t, he had to keep fighting. He had to carry on. 

Joe fired, but as the blaster bolt hit the AT-AT’s leg, the radio turned back on. However, it wasn’t Andy on the other end. It was someone else, someone with heavy breathing and a deep menacing voice. 

“It’s over, rebels,” he said. “Surrender or die.”


	25. Chapter 25

_“When there’s a cause worth fighting for, a cause worth dying for, we must never give up the fight. Even when everything seems hopeless. Especially when everything seems hopeless.” - Kelen Osh, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

The sound of Andy’s soft voice suddenly cut through the static. His voice sounded strangled, as if he was being choked. “We surrender!” he said. 

“Very good,” the deep-voiced man said. “Soon, Truwel will become one of the crown jewels of the Empire. It’s a shame that its people are so stubborn.” 

Joe couldn’t listen anymore. He switched off the radio and turned to Patrick and Mikey. “We have to save Andy,” he said. 

“What about Gerard?” Mikey said worriedly. 

“We don’t have time to look for Gerard or Frank or anyone else. If the others are still alive, they’ll know where to find us.” 

Joe started running toward the rebel base, and Mikey and Patrick followed him. There must have been thousands of stormtroopers marching in perfect lines down the streets of Truwel City, but the three of them managed to sneak through. When Patrick spotted a group of stormtroopers blocking the main entrance to the base, he panicked. “What are we supposed to do?” he asked. 

“We could try a Jedi Mind Trick,” Mikey whispered. “Aren’t stormtroopers supposed to be fairly weak-minded?” 

“There’s a back entrance,” Joe said. “Let’s try that before you two get too crazy with your magic Jedi powers.” 

“It’s not magic, it’s the Force,” Patrick argued. 

“Same difference,” Joe said. 

Joe, Patrick, and Mikey snuck around to the back entrance - thankfully, the stormtroopers hadn’t found it yet. They ran into the rebel base, and when they got to Andy’s office, they found him slumped over his drum set. Darth Vader was nowhere to be found. 

“Andy!” Joe shouted. “Are you okay?” 

When Andy didn’t respond, Joe started to panic. Without Andy, there was no Rebellion. He was their calm, compassionate leader, the beating heart of the resistance movement. His discipline, determination, and love for his planet had guided the Truwel Rebellion from the moment the Republic became the Empire. If Andy was dead, then the Truwel Rebellion was dead too. 

He had put up a good fight though. The room was splattered with blood, but hardly any of it was Andy’s. The electrostaff he’d used to defend himself sat in the corner of the room. He’d used it well - Darth Vader had only turned the tide when he used the Force to choke him. Andy had nearly succeeded where Patrick had failed. If he had held out for a little longer, he could have killed Darth Vader. 

All of a sudden, Andy opened his eyes. “Joe? Patrick? Mikey?” he said. “You’re alive?” 

“Yes, we’re alive!” Joe exclaimed. “Is everything alright?” 

“I’ll be okay,” Andy said. 

“Why did you surrender?” Joe asked. 

Before Andy could answer, Ray and Pete ran into the room, quickly followed by Frank and Gerard. Mikey ran up to Gerard and gave him a hug as soon as he saw him. For a moment, it didn’t matter how he’d survived the crash. All that mattered was that he was here, alive and well. 

In all his life, Mikey had never felt so relieved.

A few more rebels joined them, including Hayley Williams, but there were only about a dozen of them gathered around Andy. The Rebellion was nearly gone, and the Empire had already taken over Truwel. It felt like they’d already lost. 

“The Truwel Rebellion is not dead,” Andy told his surviving followers. “The Empire thinks they’ve stamped us out, but we’re still breathing. We’ll take back Truwel one day, but for now, we’re going underground.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Patrick asked. 

“We’re playing the long game,” Andy said. “We’ll take down the Empire without letting them know we even exist.” 

“And how are we going to do that exactly?” Hayley asked.

“I’m staying here on Truwel, but I want everyone to disperse and lie low for a while,” Andy explained. “We’ll continue to resist the Empire, but we’ll have to be quiet about it.” 

“Maybe we can move off-world,” Joe suggested. “What’s the nearest habitable planet?” 

“I think it’s Chadhillit,” Hayley answered. 

“Don’t we have to fix our ships first before we can go anywhere?” Frank said. 

“Yeah, the interceptor I was flying took a lot of damage,” Ray said. 

“There are mechanics on Truwel that sympathize with our cause,” Andy said. “They’ll be able to help us.” 

“So after we get our ships fixed, we can relocate to Chadhillit,” Joe said. 

“That’s not a good idea,” Frank said. 

“Why not?” Joe asked. 

“It’s just not safe there.” 

“Arbra is even worse.” 

“We’ll talk about this later,” Andy said. “I just want you all to know that you gave it your all. We fought for our planet, and even though the Empire’s taken over, the fight isn’t over. We can still win.” 

As he heard that, Joe felt something stirring in his heart. He glanced toward his fellow rebels - the few, the proud, and the emotional - and he knew they felt it too. 

For once, they had hope. 

The days went by, and things only got worse on Truwel. There were stormtroopers constantly patrolling the streets, and more Imperial ships landed on the planet with each passing day. Already, the Empire was hard at working transforming Truwel. They were chopping down its forests, mining its ores, and hunting its fauna, and there was no one to stop them. 

As the Empire tore the planet apart, the rebels lay low. They hardly ever left the base, knowing that the stormtroopers could kill them if they dared to venture outside. The Force users were particularly in peril - the Empire had already started searching for Force-sensitives on Truwel, and they violently slaughtered anyone they found. 

However, the Truwel Rebellion had plenty of allies across the planet. As long as they existed, the people of Truwel would never give up on the Rebellion, even if they pretended to cooperate with their new Imperial rulers. There were Rebellion sympathizers fixing their ships, rebuilding Truwel City, helping the Truwel Rebellion become the power they once were. The Horseshoe Crab and the Black Mariah were as good as new, and soon, the other ships would be repaired too. 

Three days after the Empire’s invasion, Joe, Pete, and Patrick announced they were leaving. “We’re going to Chadhillit,” Joe told the rest of the rebels. “I think we’ll be safer there, and we’ll be close enough that we can keep helping the Truwel Rebellion.” 

“And we can help save the other Jedi,” Patrick added. “There have to be other Jedi out there that survived Order 66, and we can make sure the Empire doesn’t find them.” 

“We only have room for one more person aboard the Horseshoe Crab, but the rest of you can join us on Chadhillit later if you’d like,” Pete said. “By the way, do we have any leftover blue milk pizza? I’m kind of hungry.” 

“Pete!” Patrick shouted. “That’s not important right now!” 

“It’s important to me…” Pete mumbled. 

As Pete and Patrick bickered again, Ray turned to Frank, Gerard, and Mikey. “I’d go with them, but I need to get that chip out of my head first,” he said. “Do you guys know when we can go to Kriselist?” 

“It doesn’t need to be right away, does it?” Frank said. 

“I think it does,” Ray said. “I know the Empire is phasing out its clone troopers, but there are still a lot of us left. Some of the stormtroopers are volunteers, but some of them are my brothers. If the Empire decides to give an order to every clone out there, then I’ll have no choice but to obey as long as I still have the chip. I have to get it out, and I have to get it out now.” 

Frank thought about it and then said, “Okay, Ray. We’ll take the Black Mariah, and you, me, and Gerard will leave tonight.” 

“What about me?” Mikey asked. 

“You should go with Pete and Patrick,” Gerard said. 

“But they’re going to Chadhillit!” Frank said. “I told them not to do that.” 

“It doesn’t matter where they’re going. Mikey needs to train with them.” 

Frank was about to argue, but he decided against it. However, Mikey was sure that he didn’t want to leave his brother, not after he’d almost lost him. It didn’t matter that he’d get to hone his Force abilities, or that he’d get more time with his closest friend. Gerard was part of his family, and family meant more to him than any of that. 

“I don’t want to go with them,” he said. “I want to stay with you guys.” 

“That’s not what’s best for you, Mikey,” Gerard said. “You have powers that none of us could ever dream of, and Patrick and Pete can help you learn how to use them. You’ll be better off if you stay with them.” 

“I don’t care if I’ll be better off. I want to make sure you guys are okay.” 

“We’ll be fine. We can take care of ourselves.” 

“We survived the Black Mariah exploding!” Frank exclaimed.

“Frank’s right,” Gerard said. He then turned to Frank and said, “I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t make it. I don’t know how I would have lived with myself.” 

“Me neither,” Frank said as he inched closer to Gerard. 

“Can we stay on topic?” Mikey said. “I want to go to Kriselist.” 

“I’m sorry, but Gerard’s right,” Frank said. “You should learn how to use the Force.” 

Mikey sighed, realizing that this conversation was going nowhere. No matter what he did, he wouldn’t be able to go to Kriselist with Frank, Gerard, and Ray. He would go to Chadhillit with Patrick, Joe, and Pete, whether he wanted to or not. 

That evening, the Black Mariah and the Horseshoe Crab blasted off, leaving Truwel behind for at least a little while. Before they left, Mikey gave Gerard one last hug, not knowing when he’d see his brother again. “I’ll miss you, Gerard,” Mikey said. 

“Relax, Mikey,” Gerard said. “We’ll meet up again soon.” 

“I hope so,” Mikey said. 

Gerard let go of his younger brother and waved to him one last time as he approached Frank’s TIE fighter. “May the Force be with you,” he said to Mikey as he climbed aboard. 

Mikey stood in place for a moment, watching the early sunset as the Black Mariah launched into the air. However, Pete leaned out the window of the Horseshoe Crab and shouted, “Come on, Mikey! Let’s go!” 

As Patrick pulled Pete back inside, Mikey stepped toward the Y-wing and climbed aboard. Joe and Patrick looked ready to go, but Pete was still reapplying his eyeliner. 

“Could you do that later?” Patrick asked. 

“But I want to make sure that everyone thinks that guys are beautiful!” Pete exclaimed, causing Patrick to roll his eyes. 

As Joe prepared for takeoff, he sighed, turned to Mikey, and said, “Welcome to the Horseshoe Crab. Don’t worry, we’ll all get through this.” 

Joe launched the ship into the air, and for a moment, Mikey left all his troubles behind. There was nothing but the stars above him, the clouds below him, and the Force binding it all together, and he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.


	26. Chapter 26

_“Love can transcend any boundary.” - Lana Gatheri, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As Frank launched the Black Mariah, Gerard glanced out the window, at the rebel base, at the ruins of Truwel City, at his little brother, somewhere down there, all alone. Eventually, the surface of Truwel faded from view, but Gerard couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen to Mikey. He hoped he’d made the right choice in sending him to Chadhillit with the other Force users, and he didn’t even want to think about what might happen if he hadn’t. The Empire could find Mikey, they could take him away, they could hurt him, they could kill him…

All of a sudden, Frank took his hands off of the controls and wrapped his arms around Gerard. “Are you okay?” he asked as the Black Mariah left Truwel’s atmosphere. 

“I can’t swim, I can’t dance, I don’t know karate, and Mikey’s out there, all by himself,” Gerard said. “Do you think I’m okay?” 

Frank held him closer and said, “Mikey’s not alone, and neither are you.” 

Gerard smiled slightly. “You’re right. I have you, and that’s all I really need.” 

As the Black Mariah drifted through space, heading for the Mid Rim, Frank and Gerard cuddled, giving each other some much-needed comfort after the Truwel Rebellion’s defeat. In Frank’s arms, Gerard felt loved and supported. He felt like he had someone who would always be there for him, no matter what happened. He felt like he and Frank could do anything. They could overthrow the Empire, take over the galaxy, and no one could stop them. 

Gerard felt like he would be okay, at least for a little while.

A few days went by, and Gerard and Frank could hardly keep their hands off each other. When Gerard had wasted so much time pretending he didn’t have feelings for Frank, when Frank had spent the last few weeks telling himself that he and Gerard could never be together, when the Empire could find them at any moment, when any breath could be their last, there wasn’t much else they could do. They had to make up for lost time. 

In those few days aboard the Black Mariah, Gerard cherished everything he learned about his new boyfriend, from the jack o’lantern tattoo on his back to which punk bands were his favorite. For the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy, Frank was surprisingly sweet. He was a strict vegetarian, he loved dogs more than anything, and even though he could be cruel on the battlefield, whenever he was around Gerard, he was kind, affectionate, and loving. When they touched, when they kissed, Frank went slowly and gently, always making sure that he wasn’t going too far. Gerard knew he was the only person who ever got to see this side of Fun Ghoul, and he savored every moment of it. 

Frank felt exactly the same way about Gerard. He wanted nothing more than to spend every moment with the coolest guy he knew. When he was alone with Gerard, he saw his creativity and his passion. He could be a bit eccentric sometimes, but only in the best possible way. Frank loved it when Gerard held him, when his pale hand grasped onto his tattooed one, when he kissed him like there was no tomorrow. Even more than that, he loved flipping through the pages of Gerard’s sketchbook, seeing his art and his stories come to life. He loved seeing the galaxy through Gerard’s eyes. 

One day, when they were about halfway to Kriselist, Gerard found Frank sitting in the cockpit, quietly reading a book. He stood in the doorway for a moment, watching him carefully turn the pages. For a moment, Gerard envied him. He wished he could lie back and forget about everything that was going on around him. He wished he could block out the hum of the Black Mariah’s engine, the sounds of the other ships whizzing past, and simply read. 

Slowly, Gerard approached him, and Frank suddenly put his book down. “Hi Gee,” he said, greeting him with a soft kiss. 

“Hey Frank,” Gerard said as he sat down next to him. 

“How are you doing?” 

“Okay, I guess. I could definitely use a cup of coffee.” 

“I’d make you coffee if we weren’t in deep space.” 

Gerard smiled. “Thanks.” 

“You’re welcome. Maybe we can go get coffee when we get to Kriselist. We’re not too far now.” 

“Yeah, that would be great,” Gerard said. He paused and then said, “I still miss Mikey.” 

Strangely enough, Frank missed him too. He’d grown to like the awkward young Force user, even if he much preferred his older brother. “I can’t believe that those guys went to Chadhillit, of all places,” Frank said. 

“You’re not making me feel any better, Frankie.” 

“Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Gerard said as he came closer to Frank. “What do you have against Chadhillit anyways?” 

“I grew up on one of its moons,” Frank said. “I haven’t been there in years, and maybe it’s gotten better since I left, but I doubt it.”

“It must be rough, constantly traveling around the galaxy.” 

“It’s not that bad. I like getting to see all sorts of different places, even if I constantly have bounty hunters on my tail. Sometimes, I wish I had somewhere I could call home, but most of the time, I like living my life on the road.” 

“If you could live anywhere in the galaxy, where would it be?” 

“I don’t know. Somewhere dirty. Somewhere with plenty of room for a scoundrel like me. And I’d want you there, of course.” 

“Of course,” Gerard said as he leaned in and kissed Frank on the lips one more time. 

Frank paused and then said, “I think you made the right decision, Gee. Mikey needs to be around other Force users, even if they’re insane enough to go to Chadhillit.” 

“Thanks, Frank,” Gerard said. He reached over and held Frank’s hand, admiring his beautiful tattoos. There was a spider, a skull and crossbones, barbed wire, a broken heart. Gerard carefully read the words inked on his hands: Halloween, bookworm, hopeless romantic. 

His whole body was a work of art. 

“I think I’ll get a new tattoo once we get to Kriselist,” Frank said, as if he was reading Gerard’s mind. 

“You know a tattoo artist there?” 

Frank smiled. “Sola’s a doctor and a tattoo artist. Isn’t that amazing?” 

“Yeah, it is.” 

“She’ll take good care of Ray. She has lots of experience, and I know she won’t tell the Empire anything.” 

“Speaking of Ray, we should probably check on him. He’s been a bit quiet lately.” 

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” 

The two of them looked around the ship, but Ray was nowhere to be found. Gerard checked every area of the TIE fighter, every last corridor, but it was like Ray had completely disappeared. 

Frank’s luck wasn’t any better. “He couldn’t have gone far, right?” he said to Gerard after he’d searched the ship one last time. 

All of a sudden, Gerard realized something. “We have to turn back,” he said. 

“Why?” Frank asked. “We’re halfway to Kriselist already.” 

“I think we forgot Ray.”


	27. Chapter 27

_“If home is where the heart is, then we’re all just fucked.” - Pete Wentz, scrawled in the margins of his copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

It felt like barely any time had gone by at all since the Horseshoe Crab left Truwel, but somehow, they were already approaching Chadhillit. Mikey had spent most of the flight sleeping, listening to music, and reading Pete’s copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters. Sometimes, he got to hang out with Pete, but his short, eyeliner-clad friend spent most of his time with Patrick, whining to him about nothing and everything all at once. He still didn’t quite understand what was going on between them, but he was sure that this was better than being a third wheel to Frank and Gerard for the whole flight. He couldn’t even imagine what Ray must be going through. 

Mikey looked out the window, and in the distance, he saw Chadhillit. It was a huge, bright blue planet, orbited by dozens of rocky moons. Sometimes, he saw flashes of orange and yellow on the planet’s surface, and he wondered what was going on. Maybe they were volcanoes or storms, or maybe his eyes were deceiving him. He looked to his crewmates, curious as to what they thought of this strange, alien planet. 

“We’ve got to get a closer look,” Joe said. 

“What if Frank’s right?” Patrick said. “What if it’s not safe?” 

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Joe said. “We just need to figure out where to land.” 

Joe steered the Y-wing closer to Chadhillit, but as he drew closer, the crew only became more worried. The yellow flashes weren’t volcanoes or storms at all: they were bombs going off, and they were everywhere. There were starfighters constantly going back and forth between the planet and its moons, firing on each other, bombing every city in the system. There was a war going on, between Chadhillit and its moons, and there was no end in sight. 

Worst of all, there were Imperial ships here too. Frank had mentioned that the Chadhillit system had been a part of the Republic, so it only made sense that it was part of the Empire now, but Mikey was still shocked to see TIE fighters and Star Destroyers orbiting the planet, keeping their distance but making their presence known. The four of them couldn’t have picked a worse planet to go to. There was no way they would be safe here. 

“Okay, you guys are right,” Joe said. “We should go somewhere else.”

“I can’t believe Frank grew up here,” Pete said. “That must have been rough.” 

“What’s the next closest planet?” Joe said. 

“Rugosa, I think,” Patrick said. 

“Maybe we should go there,” Joe said. 

“I don’t know,” Pete said. “Maybe we shouldn’t randomly fly around the galaxy. Maybe we should pick a hiding place and stick with it.” 

“I don’t want to go too far from Truwel though,” Joe said. “We can’t help the Rebellion if we’re on the other side of the galaxy.” 

“Let’s face it,” Pete said. “Truwel’s a lost cause. We need to find somewhere that’s safe for us.” 

“Truwel’s not a lost cause!” Joe exclaimed. “We can still take it back!” 

“The Empire’s already taken over.” 

“We’ve beaten them before. We can beat them again.” 

“Can you two please stop arguing?” Patrick said. “We need to figure out where we’re going.” 

“Maybe we could meet Gerard, Frank, and Ray on Kriselist?” Mikey suggested. 

“That could work,” Joe said, and Pete and Patrick agreed. Joe took control of the ship, and he started setting the coordinates for Kriselist. However, when Mikey looked out the window, he spotted a strange-looking ship heading straight for the Horseshoe Crab. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he said. 

“What?” Pete said as he ran over to the window. “What is it?” As soon as he saw the ship, he knew exactly what was going on. “That’s Brendon’s ship,” he said. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said. “I thought we defeated him back on Devaron.” 

“Who’s Brendon?” Joe asked. 

Pete sighed. “He’s...an old friend of mine, but he fell to the dark side,” he said. 

“That’s awful, Pete,” Mikey said. 

“Yeah, it is,” Pete said sadly. “The dark side’s not bad, Mikey, but too much of it can destroy you. That’s what happened to Brendon. The dark side consumed him, and now he’s just a shell of his former self.” 

Mikey shuddered as he thought of what could happen to him, what could happen to his friends if he turned to the dark side. As he thought of the darkness building within him, the death and destruction that would follow, he suddenly understood why Patrick feared the dark side so much. It was far easier to completely reject the dark side of the Force than it was to make peace with it, to find balance between light and dark. He still wasn’t sure what path he would take as a Force user, but he was sure that he never wanted to turn out like Brendon or Darth Vader. He would never let the dark side destroy who he was on the inside. 

“Anyways, we should get out of here before this Brendon guy realizes we’re here,” Joe said as he steered the Horseshoe Crab away from Chadhillit. 

The ship sped off, but it was too late. Just as they were about to leave the system, Mikey noticed the glow of a red lightsaber. “Hey guys, I think there might be…” 

All of a sudden, Brendon appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in black, and he was spinning his bright red, double-bladed lightsaber. Joe looked baffled, wondering how Brendon could have possibly gotten into the Y-wing. As if he was reading his mind, Brendon smirked and said, “Haven’t you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?” 

Pete rolled his eyes, but Brendon swung his lightsaber toward him. He leapt out of the way, but already, Brendon already had the advantage. He attacked Pete over and over again, and although Pete tried his best to defend himself, it wasn’t enough. His ham-fisted parries couldn’t block Brendon’s elegant, graceful strikes. 

This time, Patrick didn’t hesitate to get involved. As soon as he saw that Pete was struggling, he ignited his lightsaber and rushed into the fight. He caught Brendon by surprise with an overhead attack, but his opponent quickly fought back. However, Brendon was now outnumbered. He spun his lightsaber wildly, hoping to eliminate either Pete or Patrick, but it didn’t work. There were jabs and thrusts coming at him from every direction. He was on the defensive now. He was losing the fight. 

All of a sudden, Brendon noticed Joe and Mikey standing off to the side, hoping not to get involved. He lunged toward them, even as Patrick did everything he could to stop him. As he swung his lightsaber toward Joe, Mikey took a deep breath and used the Force to push him into a wall. 

“Ow!” Brendon shouted as he stumbled back onto his feet. “You didn’t tell me that guy was a Jedi too!” 

“Yeah, we really need to get him a lightsaber one of these days,” Pete said to Patrick. 

“Focus, Pete,” Patrick said. 

As Brendon got up, both Jedi launched into action, ready to attack or to defend. Meanwhile, Joe and Mikey snuck into the lower part of the ship to grab blasters. As they ran downstairs, they heard lightsabers clashing relentlessly. Mikey looked nervous, but Joe was confident, ready to face the Inquisitor. He grabbed a blaster from off the rack and handed one to Mikey, and once they were both ready, they ran back upstairs. 

When Joe and Mikey entered the main area of the ship, Pete and Patrick were still fighting off Brendon. Patrick carefully defended against Brendon’s attacks, and as his lightsaber sliced through the air, heading toward the Inquisitor, Mikey picked up his blaster and fired. Brendon angled his double-bladed lightsaber to block the blaster bolt, but as Mikey and Joe kept on firing, and Pete and Patrick kept on striking, Brendon was soon backed into a corner, helpless. 

“Come on, Brendon,” Pete said. 

“The Fourth Brother,” Brendon corrected. 

“Whatever,” Pete said. “I know you don’t really want to hurt us.”

“You don’t understand, Pete,” Brendon said. “You don’t understand just how powerful the dark side can be. It’s a hell of a feeling.” 

“The light side’s powerful too.” 

“It’s weak!” Brendon exclaimed. “Just like you!” 

Pete sighed. “Brendon, I know there’s still some good in you. I know you still feel the light side calling you. If you want, you can join us…” 

“Never!” Brendon shouted. 

All of a sudden, Brendon dropped his lightsaber on the floor, and in his palms, there was a faint blue glow. The electricity became stronger and stronger, and soon, it began to crackle. 

As Brendon unleashed his Force lightning on the four rebels, Patrick knew what he had to do. He stepped in front of Pete, Mikey, and Joe, and he carefully positioned his lightsaber in front of him, allowing his weapon to absorb most of Brendon’s lightning. He had to sacrifice himself if they wanted to hold the Inquisitor back.

At first, Patrick’s strategy seemed to work. His lightsaber deflected the lightning, keeping the others safe. However, it didn’t last long. Soon, Patrick was too exhausted to keep fighting, and he collapsed on the floor, screaming in agony. Brendon took the opportunity to attack Joe, Pete, and Mikey, and within seconds, he’d knocked all four of them unconscious. As Mikey’s vision went black, pain pounding through his body, he called upon the Force, but there was no use. Nothing could save them now. 

A few hours later, when Mikey opened his eyes again, he saw that Brendon was gone, but something felt off. Every part of his body still ached as he got up off the ground and looked around the ship. His crewmates were also starting to wake up: Joe tightened his grip on his blaster, just in case the Inquisitorius was still here, and Pete immediately glanced around the ship, afraid that something awful had happened. 

Suddenly, Pete started to cry. 

“What is it?” Mikey asked as he rushed over to his friend. 

“It’s Patrick,” Pete said. “Patrick’s gone.”


	28. Chapter 28

_“The Jedi are a hundred thousand strong. Together, we can do anything we set our minds to.” - Yu Solusar, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Even with Gerard there next to him, Frank had never been so nervous. They were approaching the Truwel system, but the planet they’d left was nearly unrecognizable now. There were TIE fighters everywhere, and the planet was crawling with stormtroopers and Imperial droids. Ray was down there somewhere, trapped on an Imperial-occupied world, and somehow, Frank and Gerard had to rescue him. Frank only wished he knew how they were going to do it. 

“Everything’s going to be alright,” Gerard assured him as he wrapped his arms around him, and for a moment, Frank thought it might be true. 

He glanced out the window, and near Truwel City, he spotted a small shipyard where he might be able to land the ship. From there, he and Gerard might be able to make it to the rebel base without anyone catching them. There were stormtroopers surrounding the base on all sides, but if they could get past them, they could talk to Andy. Maybe he knew where Ray was. 

It was a risky plan, but it might just work. 

Frank didn’t know why he was so afraid. He was Fun Ghoul, the Most Dangerous Man in the Galaxy. He found himself in mortal peril on a near-daily basis. He’d pulled off all kinds of reckless stunts over the years, from stealing spice from the Hutts to organizing the biggest prison break in history. He’d been to some of the galaxy’s most hazardous planets. He’d even broken into the Imperial vault. There was no reason for him to be nervous about a minor heist like this one. 

Maybe he was getting soft, or maybe he was just worried about Gerard. Maybe he didn’t want to lose the best thing that had ever happened to him. 

He held Gerard close as he steered the ship toward the surface of Truwel. 

The landing was fairly smooth, but as soon as Frank and Gerard stepped out of the Black Mariah, they saw a group of stormtroopers patrolling the street in front of them. “How are we going to get past them?” Gerard asked. 

Frank tightened his grip on his blaster as he looked around. All of a sudden, he noticed an Imperial cruiser parked next to him. Its door was wide open. “I have an idea,” he said. 

He took Gerard’s hand and led him onto the Imperial ship. Just as Frank suspected, in the back of the ship, there were a few extra sets of stormtrooper armor. “Are there any small ones?” Frank asked as Gerard rummaged through the suits of armor. 

“They’re all the same size,” Gerard said. 

He quickly put one on and then tossed another to Frank. As Frank clicked each piece of the armor into place, he noticed a few problems. The boots were too big to walk in, the chest plate went down to his stomach, and the helmet was falling off of his face, but it would have to do. 

“We could take their blasters too,” Gerard said. 

“No thanks,” Frank said. “I’ll keep mine.” 

“Are you sure?” Gerard said. “You could get caught.” 

“It’s my blaster,” Frank said. “I’ll die with it if I have to.” 

Gerard shrugged, grabbed one of the stormtroopers’ E-11 blasters, and tucked the last few strands of his beautiful red hair into his helmet. They were ready to go. 

The two of them ran out of the Imperial cruiser and approached the stormtroopers patrolling the street. “Don’t mind us,” Gerard said to them. “We’re just passing through.” 

“Who’s your friend?” one of the stormtroopers asked. “He looks a little short for a stormtrooper.” 

Frank immediately pointed his blaster at the stormtrooper. “Call me short again and you’ll…” 

“Frank, don’t do that,” Gerard whispered. As Frank lowered his blaster, Gerard told their adversary, “Oh, don’t worry, he’s definitely a stormtrooper.”

“What’s his serial number?” 

Gerard hesitated, so Frank jumped in. “I’m FG-4242,” he said. 

“That’s impossible,” the stormtrooper said. “ _I’m_ FG-4242!” 

Frank raised his blaster again, aimed at the stormtrooper, and fired. The stormtrooper immediately collapsed, and as his comrades rushed over to help him, Frank sprinted away. “Gee! What are you doing?” Frank shouted as Gerard tried to figure out what was happening. “Get up and go!” 

Gerard started running, but as he darted toward the rebel base, the stormtroopers raised their blasters and fired at him. He didn’t look back. As blaster bolts whizzed past his head, he kept running until he caught up to Frank. 

Luckily for Frank and Gerard, the stormtroopers were terrible shots. None of their blaster bolts hit them as they ran toward the rebel base. Frank was easily able to take out most of the stormtroopers, and even Gerard got a few good shots in. Frank got the feeling that if the Empire put any effort into teaching their stormtroopers how to shoot, they could be a real threat, but as it was, they were mere obstacles. 

Eventually, they got to the base, but there was another squadron of stormtroopers blocking the back entrance. “Don’t mind us,” Gerard said. “We’re just passing through.” 

“Who’s your friend?” one of the stormtroopers asked. “He looks a little short to be a stormtrooper.” 

Frank rolled his eyes. “Not this again,” he said as he shot the stormtrooper. 

Once again, chaos erupted, but Frank stayed focused. One by one, he took out each stormtrooper. He shot one in the chest, he slammed another into the building, he gave one two shots in the back of the head. When there were only a few stormtroopers left, firing on him and Gerard in a hail of bullets, Frank found a way into the building. “Come on,” Frank said to his boyfriend as he ran past a stormtrooper and ducked through the back entrance.

Once they were inside, Gerard and Frank went straight to Andy’s office, but when they got there, Ray was standing in front of the door. “Ray!” Gerard exclaimed, but Ray immediately put a blaster to his head. 

“Who are you, and how did you find us?” Ray asked. 

Gerard took off his helmet, revealing his bright red hair and his gorgeous hazel eyes. Frank did the same, and all of a sudden, Ray understood exactly what was going on. 

“I thought you looked a little short to be…” Ray said, laughing. 

Frank pointed his blaster toward Ray. “Finish that sentence, and I’ll shoot,” he said. 

“Okay, Frank,” Ray said. After Frank had lowered his gun, he sighed and added, “I can’t believe you guys forgot about me.” 

“I know,” Frank said. “I’m sorry.” 

“I’m sorry too,” Gerard said. “You’ve always been there for us, and we’ve failed you. We never should have left you behind.” 

“I forgive you, but you’d better not do it again,” Ray said. 

“We won’t,” Gerard said. 

“Come on, Ray,” Frank said as he put his helmet back on. “Let’s get you out of here.” 

“How are we going to do that?” Gerard asked. “There are still stormtroopers everywhere.” 

All of a sudden, the door to Andy’s office creaked open. “There’s a secret passageway from the base to the shipyard,” he said. “Just take a left, go downstairs, and then keep going straight.” 

“Thanks Andy,” Frank said. 

He ran toward the stairwell, and Gerard and Ray quickly followed him. As they headed back toward the shipyard, the three of them talked about everything that had happened over the last few days. 

“Truwel’s a mess,” Ray told them. “I’ve spent most of my time in the base, helping Andy, but I know the Empire’s out there, destroying the planet. I was wondering how long it would take the two of you to realize I was missing.” 

“I’m sorry!” Gerard exclaimed. 

Eventually, they made it to the shipyard, but when they got there, they found a group of stormtroopers surrounding the Black Mariah. “There he is,” one of the stormtroopers said as soon as he saw Frank. “That’s the one who killed FG-4242.” 

Frank pulled out his blaster once again and fired on the stormtroopers, but there were too many of them. He couldn’t do this alone.

Thankfully, he had Gerard and Ray by his side. The two of them gunned down as many stormtroopers as they could, and eventually, Frank, Gerard, and Ray shot enough of them that they could climb aboard their ship. There were a few close calls, but none of them were seriously injured. At last, they could leave Truwel and head for Kriselist. 

The three of them ran onto the Black Mariah, and Frank launched the ship as quickly as he could, knowing that more stormtroopers could arrive at any moment. As soon as they were out of the atmosphere, Frank leaned over the dashboard to kiss Gerard.

“We did it,” Frank said as he pulled away, breathless. “We got Ray back.” 

Ray rolled his eyes. “Get a room, you two,” he said. 

Frank laughed, but more than anything, he was just glad that he was here, with two of his favorite people in the world. He was glad to be alive.


	29. Chapter 29

_“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.  
Through Passion I gain Strength.  
Through Strength I gain Power.  
Through Power I gain Victory.  
Through Victory my chains are Broken.  
The Force shall free me.”  
The Sith Code_

The first thing Patrick noticed when he awoke was that he was alone. Pete, Joe, and Mikey were all gone, and Patrick had no clue what had happened to them. For all he knew, his friends could all be dead. He might never get to fly in Joe’s ship again, he might never get to see Mikey become a Jedi Knight, he might never hear Pete crack another joke. He might never see his gorgeous face again. 

Patrick had been alone plenty of times, but he’d never felt quite this lonely.

The second thing Patrick noticed was that he was strapped to an interrogation chair. There were metal restraints holding his arms and legs in place, and if he tried to move, even a little bit, he’d get an electric shock. If he had his lightsaber, he could cut himself free, but it was on the other side of the room, far out of reach. He was trapped. 

Patrick glanced out the window, but he still couldn’t tell exactly where he was. He was aboard a ship of some kind, but his drab gray surroundings couldn’t tell him any more than that. All he knew for sure was that he wasn’t on the Horseshoe Crab anymore. Someone had taken him here, but why? 

All of a sudden, the door opened, and Brendon Urie walked into the room, spinning his double-bladed lightsaber. “Patrick Stump,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.” 

“What’s going on, Brendon?” Patrick asked. 

“The Fourth Brother,” Brendon said. 

“Whatever,” Patrick said. “Why am I here?” 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Brendon said. “Either you’re going to turn to the dark side, or I’m going to kill you. It’s up to you, really. I don’t care if you live or die. Either way, I’m taking back the crown.” 

“I’m never turning to the dark side.” 

Brendon shrugged. “That’s a shame,” he said. “You’re far too young to die.” 

“But why me?” Patrick asked. “I’m not the one you want.” 

“Very good, Patrick. You figured it out,” Brendon said. “You’re no use to me. I’m only using you as bait.”

“Bait for what?” 

“For Pete, of course!” 

Patrick breathed a sigh of relief. He was being held hostage by an Inquisitor, but at least Pete was alive. For a moment, Patrick felt like he had hope. 

“Pete loves you,” Brendon said. “He’d live for you, he’d die for you, he’d bleed himself dry if it meant you would be okay. Once he sees what I’ve done to you, once he sees that the only person he’s ever loved is gone, he’ll have no choice but to turn to the dark side.” 

Patrick wanted to do something, anything. He had to warn Pete somehow, but his powers were weak after being hit with Force lightning. He couldn’t even get his lightsaber to budge, no matter how hard he tried. There was no way he could get a message to Pete when he couldn’t even move. 

“All of the Jedi tell me that they’ll never turn to the dark side, but everyone has their price,” Brendon said as he paced across the room. “For Pete, it’s you. He’d do anything for you. He’d even turn to the dark side.” 

Patrick looked away from Brendon for a moment, and in his mind’s eye, he saw Pete. He had dark black makeup lining his eyes and a bright blue lightsaber in his hands, and Patrick thought he looked absolutely beautiful. 

_He’d do anything for you. He’d even turn to the dark side._

Patrick knew it was true. Pete loved him, and he had for years. He would set his whole life on fire, but he’d never do anything to hurt Patrick. He would take a bullet for him, he would kill for him, and yes, he would even turn to the dark side for him. 

What scared Patrick was that he would do the same for Pete. 

“So Patrick? What’s your price?” 

And in an instant, Patrick knew. 

Of course, he’d never admit that to Brendon. “I won’t do it,” he said. “I’m not turning to the dark side.” 

“Are you sure?” Brendon said. 

“I’d rather die than join you,” Patrick said softly. 

Even as he said it, Patrick felt the pull of the dark side. He knew he’d gotten too attached to Pete, and now, it was coming back to bite him. He was too vulnerable, too close to his inner darkness. Already, he felt the dark side growing within him, eating away at who he was. He felt the urge to lash out, to take his lightsaber and strike Brendon down. If he killed him now, then maybe he wouldn’t hurt Pete. 

Yet, as soon as he thought of Pete, he felt a wave of peace, warmth, and serenity crashing over him. The darkness within him started to die away, letting the light shine through. Rather than leading to fear, hate, or aggression, his love for Pete only made him stronger. 

Was everything he knew wrong? Maybe falling in love wasn’t a bad thing after all. Maybe he could love Pete without turning to the dark side. As Patrick thought of Pete, his love for him growing stronger and stronger, he felt the light side of the Force growing within him. He felt kindness, loyalty, compassion - all of his best qualities shining through - but there was something much rarer in there too: confidence. 

“I mean it, Brendon,” he said. “I’d rather die than join you.” 

All of a sudden, lightning began to crackle in Brendon’s hands. “You’ve made your choice then,” he said. “Prepare to die.” 

Brendon unleashed his Force lightning on Patrick, and this time, he had no defense. Agony rushed through his veins, but no matter what he did, Brendon wouldn’t stop. It was drawn-out torture, a slow march to an inevitable death. Patrick screamed until his lungs gave out, but even then, there was still endless pain. As Brendon’s lightning hit him again and again, Patrick could already see the light at the end of the tunnel. He could feel his soul pulling away from his body and rejoining the Force. Already, he knew it was over. This was the end. 

For just one moment, Brendon stopped the torture to speak into a holorecorder, and Patrick tried to catch his breath. He was still weak, barely alive, but he was one with the Force. He could feel Brendon’s thoughts and emotions, and he could sense the conflict brewing within him.

Patrick took one step into Brendon’s house of memories, and all of a sudden, he understood why Brendon had fallen to the dark side. 

He saw a drab gray room, just like the one he was in now, and inside, there were two figures: Brendon and Darth Vader. “You’ve almost reached the end of your training,” Vader said. “I’m very pleased with the progress you’ve made so far.” 

“Thank you, Lord Vader,” Brendon said. 

“We’ve captured a group of Jedi on Coruscant,” Vader said. “To finish your training, I’d like you to execute one of them.” 

“I would be honored to do so,” Brendon said. 

“Which one shall it be then?” Vader said. “Dallon Weekes? Spencer Smith? Ryan Ross?” 

“No,” Brendon said. “Not Ryan. Anyone but him. The Jedi are evil, but he doesn’t deserve to…” 

Before Brendon could finish his sentence, Darth Vader left, and when he returned, he had Ryan Ross with him. Patrick recognized him immediately: he’d worked in the archives during the Clone Wars. He’d seen him hanging around some of the New Wave Jedi, but he’d had no idea just how close he was to Brendon. 

“Brendon,” Ryan said with a smile. “I never thought I’d get to see you again.” 

Brendon hesitated, unsure what to do. “What are you waiting for?” Vader said. “Kill him!” 

Brendon ignited his lightsaber, but he froze. He couldn’t bring himself to kill Ryan, so he looked to his new master and his old flame, hoping there was another way out of this. 

“Brendon, don’t do it,” Ryan said. “I...I don’t want to die, and you don’t want to kill me. We can find another way. We can escape together.” 

“He’s tricking you,” Vader said. “End him!” 

Brendon stayed frozen for another moment, but when Vader ignited his own lightsaber, ready to kill both Brendon and Ryan, Brendon finally charged toward Ryan. He stabbed him through the heart, and Ryan instantly collapsed into his arms. 

“I...I’m so sorry, Ryan,” Brendon said as his tears fell onto Ryan’s dead body. 

As Patrick returned to the present, he saw that same look on Brendon’s face. Brendon turned away from the holorecorder, took a deep breath, and sent another bolt of lightning in his direction. Pain shot through Patrick’s body once again, and as the lightning kept on coming, as the suffering continued, Brendon ignited his lightsaber and pressed it to Patrick’s throat. 

Patrick was barely conscious, but nevertheless, he could hear Brendon’s sobs. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry it has to be this way.” 

As Patrick braced himself, he remembered the day Pete had fallen into the sinkhole. He remembered jumping in after him, and he remembered everything Pete had said afterwards, how he’d confessed his love, thinking that he was about to die. He remembered kissing him, the way his lips had tasted like saltwater, the way it felt so wrong, and yet so right. 

If death was coming for him, at least he got one last chance to relive his favorite memory. 

Patrick felt one last shot of pain running across his neck, and all of a sudden, everything went black.


	30. Chapter 30

_“You are never alone. The Force will always be there to guide you.” - Villav Vagod, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Mikey wrapped his arms around Pete, enveloping him in a hug. “It’s going to be okay, Pete,” he said, but he wasn’t sure if he truly believed it. 

Tears streamed down Pete’s face as he embraced his best friend. “I miss Patrick already,” he said. “He’s everything to me. He’s the last of a dying breed, and it was always me and him in the wake of Saturday. Now, he’s gone, and I...I just don’t know what to do.” 

“Patrick couldn’t have gone that far, right?” Mikey said as he let go of Pete. “Maybe we can find him.” 

“Or maybe he’s already dead.”

Mikey paused. Several hours had passed since they’d fought Brendon. Patrick could very well be dead by now, but he couldn’t tell Pete that. There was already too much sadness and pain behind his deep brown eyes. The last thing Mikey wanted was to make it worse. 

“I think he’s still alive,” Mikey said. “He’s out there somewhere. We just have to find him.” 

“I sure hope so.” 

“Me too. You know, Patrick’s lucky to have a friend like you.” 

“I’m lucky to have him.” Pete wiped away his tears, and Mikey smiled slightly, knowing that he’d given him just a little bit of hope. 

“My guess is that Brendon took Patrick,” Joe said suddenly. 

“Why would he do that?” Pete asked. 

“I don’t know, but he was just here,” Joe said. “It’s the simplest explanation.” 

“So where did Brendon go?” Mikey asked. 

“Can’t one of you use the Force to figure it out?” Joe said. 

“That’s not how the Force works!” Pete and Mikey exclaimed in unison. The two of them burst out laughing, while Joe rolled his eyes. 

“I guess I’ll use the ship’s radar to figure it out then,” he said. He went over to the control panel and started scanning the area for starships. Meanwhile, Mikey and Pete sat in the corner, paying no attention whatsoever to what Joe was doing. 

“Hey, do you want to read this poem I wrote?” Pete asked. 

“Sure, but I might have to put on my glasses first.” 

“You wear glasses? That’s adorable.” 

Mikey used the Force to pull his glasses toward him, and then he put them on. However, just as he was about to open up Pete’s copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , where he’d written down all of his poems, Pete stole his glasses and put them on. 

“How do I look?” Pete asked. 

“Hey, give those back!”

“Sorry, my sweet little dude, but they’re mine now.” 

“Could you two please cut it out?” Joe said. Both of them went silent, and Joe added, “I think I might have found something.” 

Mikey and Pete went up to the control panel, where Joe pointed out a strange light on one corner of the screen. “I can’t see anything,” Pete said. 

“I told you that you shouldn’t have stolen my glasses,” Mikey said. 

Pete sighed and gave Mikey his glasses back. When he took a closer look, Mikey saw that the light was blinking. “I don’t get it,” he said. “What’s going on?” 

“That’s a Star Destroyer, and it’s the only Imperial ship within range,” Joe said. “If I’m right, and Brendon took Patrick, that’s probably where he is.” 

“So let’s go there,” Pete said. “Let’s rescue Patrick.” 

Joe steered the ship toward the Star Destroyer, but Mikey was already nervous. He wanted to rescue Patrick too, but they were about to embark on a dangerous mission without any sort of plan. If Patrick couldn’t defeat Brendon, then what hope did the rest of them have? 

Just as Joe pushed the Horseshoe Crab to full speed, Pete’s droid started beeping. “What is it, R1-69?” Pete said as both Mikey and Joe rolled their eyes. 

All of a sudden, R1 started broadcasting a hologram. There was Patrick, strapped to an interrogation chair, being hit with bolt after bolt of Force lightning. He screamed in agony, but nothing he did could stop the lightning. Then, the video cut to Brendon. He grinned and then looked straight at Pete as he began to speak. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “You want your little friend back, don’t you?” 

Pete nodded, and Mikey saw another tear dripping down his face. 

“Then come and find us!” Brendon exclaimed. “I’ll stop the lightning if you join me on the dark side. We can be Inquisitors together! I’ll be the Fourth Brother, and you’ll be the Fifth. Together, we’ll take over the galaxy!”

Brendon laughed, and as the hologram ended, Mikey looked toward Pete. “You’re not seriously going to do that, are you?” he said. 

“I don’t want to, but if it will save Patrick…” 

“Come on, Pete!” Mikey exclaimed. “You were the one who told me that too much of the dark side would destroy you!” 

“When I said that, I didn’t think I’d have to turn the dark side to save Patrick’s life, okay?” 

“Can we please cross this bridge when we come to it?” Joe chimed in. “Maybe we can rescue Patrick without having Pete turn to the dark side.” 

Mikey nodded, and Pete slumped back into the corner of the ship as it hurtled toward Brendon’s Star Destroyer. Mikey had never had a friend like Pete before. They’d grown up in such different circumstances, but he felt like they were kindred souls. Pete was like the twin brother he’d always wanted, and Mikey couldn’t possibly imagine what it would be like to lose him to the dark side. 

It took them a little while, but eventually, the Horseshoe Crab caught up with Brendon’s Star Destroyer. The ship was massive, bigger than any warship Mikey had ever seen before, and he wondered just how they’d find Patrick. He could be anywhere inside the ship. They might end up wandering around inside the Star Destroyer for hours, searching for someone they’d never find. 

“I have a bad feeling about…” 

“Shut up, Mikey,” Pete said. “I’ll find Patrick if it kills me.” 

Joe flew his Y-wing closer to the Star Destroyer, and as they hovered next to one of the entrances to the ship, he turned to Pete and Mikey and said, “I’ve just set up a bridge between the Horseshoe Crab and the Star Destroyer. If you leave now, you should be able to make it onto their ship before anyone notices you.” 

“Wait a second,” Pete said. “Aren’t you coming, Joe?” 

“It will be safer if someone stays behind.” 

“But we need all the help we can get!” 

“You two will be fine, but you can use the ship’s radio to contact me if you need to.” 

“Pete, we’re wasting time,” Mikey said. 

Pete sighed. “You’re right,” he said. “Let’s go save Patrick.” 

Mikey grabbed a blaster, Pete ignited his lightsaber, and the two of them climbed out of the ship and ran into the Star Destroyer. On the inside, the ship was all long corridors, sharp angles, and drab gray metal. Every hallway looked exactly the same, and Mikey was starting to lose hope that they’d ever find Patrick. 

All of a sudden, they heard a piercing scream. 

“I think that’s him,” Pete said nervously. Mikey ran toward the sound, and Pete sprinted after him, his short legs struggling to keep up. 

The screams continued, again and again, and eventually, Mikey figured out where they were coming from. The two of them came to a giant steel door, but when Mikey pulled on it, he found it was locked. 

“Stand back,” Pete said, and Mikey backed away as Pete used his lightsaber to cut through the door. Once he was done, there was a huge, jagged hole, and Mikey and Pete both stepped through it. 

They’d come to the right place, but it was too late. Patrick was there, strapped to the interrogation chair, but Mikey couldn’t even tell if he was dead or alive. His skin was starting to turn slightly blue, and he was completely unresponsive. Even if he was alive, Mikey was afraid that he wouldn’t make it. He’d been hit with too much Force lightning, he’d suffered too much over the last few hours. After all this, they might still have to say goodbye. 

Brendon pressed his lightsaber against Patrick’s neck, and he started to slice his throat. However, when he saw that Pete and Mikey were there, he suddenly turned away from Patrick and spun his lightsaber. 

“You’re just in time, Pete,” Brendon said, smiling. “Let’s kill tonight.” 

Pete raised his lightsaber in the air and charged toward Brendon, while Mikey grabbed Patrick’s blue-green lightsaber, ready to fight. 

Tonight, Pete and Mikey would have their revenge.


	31. Chapter 31

_“As a Jedi, you must always be selfless. Think of the wellbeing of others, never of yourself.” - Sen Clovis, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“Finally,” Ray said as the Black Mariah approached Kriselist. He’d had to put up with being left behind on Truwel, finding a way to stay safe in the middle of an Imperial invasion, and listening to Gerard and Frank making out for hours on end, but now that they were here, it was all worth it. Soon, he’d get his control chip out, and he’d be free from the Empire at last. 

As Frank piloted the ship toward the surface, Ray looked out the window. He thought of his brothers - did they even know that the Empire was controlling their minds? Even if they did, did they care? They’d all been taught to be loyal to the Republic, and even though the Republic was the Empire now, many of the clones still were. Ray, however, was sure that there was a greater purpose to his life than slavishly serving the government. He may have been designed to fight for the Republic, but the Republic was dead and gone now. After today, he would finally have the chance to create his own destiny. 

Gerard was drawing again, and Frank glanced over at his sketchbook. “That looks amazing, Gee,” he said. 

“Thanks,” Gerard said. “I think I might do another drawing of you next. It’s just...you look so beautiful today, and I’d love to capture it…” 

“Can we get going?” Ray said. They were on the ground now, and he wanted to get the chip removed sooner rather than later. 

Frank sighed and opened the door, and the three of them climbed out of the ship. Kriselist didn’t look too different from most urban planets, but there were certainly fewer stormtroopers here than there were on Truwel. Even the Galactic Empire forgot about places like Kriselist. 

Frank led them into a dark alley, where he ducked into a small, nondescript shop. Ray and Gerard followed him, and when they were inside, they found a strange alien waiting for them. It was an octopus-like creature, with mottled yellow skin and thin, noodly tentacles. 

“What?” Frank said when he saw Ray and Gerard staring. “You’ve never seen a Kriselissian before?” 

“It’s okay. Most humans haven’t,” the creature said in a high, reedy voice. “So Frank, I presume you want another tattoo? You know, you’re going to run out of room one of these days…” 

“Yes, but there’s something far more urgent I need your help with,” Frank said. 

“What is it?” 

“It’s Ray.” 

Before Frank could say anything else, the alien asked, “Which one’s Ray?” 

Frank gestured toward Ray, and the alien extended one of her tentacles toward him. “It’s nice to meet you, Ray,” she said. “I’m Sola.” 

“Nice to meet you, Sola,” Ray said as he awkwardly shook the tentacle. 

“Ray was a clone trooper during the war, and there’s a control chip in his head that needs to be removed,” Frank explained. 

“I see,” Sola said. “Once I know where the chip is, that should be a simple operation. More importantly, Frank, what tattoo would you like?” 

“I’m thinking of getting a scorpion on my neck,” Frank said. 

“Ooh, I like that idea,” Gerard said. “You’ll never be able to get a real job though.” 

“Why would I want a real job when I have you?” 

Ray rolled his eyes as Sola led him into the backroom. “I’ve had to put up with those two ever since we left Truwel,” he said. 

“That’s a long way away,” Sola noted. 

“We’ve been traveling around quite a bit,” Ray explained. “I ran to Alderaan after Order 66, and that was where Frank and Gerard found me.” 

“Order 66?” 

“We were ordered to kill the Jedi. That’s why I want the chip removed. I never want anything like that to happen again.” 

Sola nodded. “I completely understand,” she said. “If you could lie down on the table here, I can use the scanning machine to locate the chip.” 

“Of course,” Ray said. 

He lay down on the table, and Sola scanned his head. “I think I’ve found it,” she said. “As I suspected, it won’t be too hard to remove, but I’m going to have one of my surgical droids give you some anesthetic.” She smiled and said, “You won’t feel a thing.” 

Ray nodded, and as the surgical droid approached him, he thought of everything he’d do after this was all over. With the control chip gone, he could truly fight against the Empire. He could help rebuild the Truwel Rebellion, save the surviving Jedi, make the galaxy better for his friends and for his brothers, atone for what he’d done during the war. He would have a chance that he never thought he’d have: the chance to make things right. 

All of a sudden, the anesthetic kicked in, and all of Ray’s thoughts drifted away. 

While Ray recovered from his surgery, Frank waited outside, his nose in a book. As he read, he escaped into another world, one where the Empire didn’t exist, where he, Ray, and Gerard could finally be free. 

When Frank looked up from his book, Gerard was gone.

At first, his heart pounded, terrified that he’d lost his boyfriend. What would he do without Gerard? Frank needed his partner in crime, but after some thought, he realized that he knew exactly where he was. He set his book down, and he headed toward the Black Mariah. 

Sure enough, there he was, painting something across the front of the ship. There was a blue star with a lightning bolt with the words “Jet Star” underneath, a red cobra with the words “The Kobra Kid,” and now, as Frank stepped closer, he was painting “Fun Ghoul” in green. “Wow,” Frank said. “That’s rad.” 

“Thank you,” Gerard said. “I thought you might like something to remember us by.” 

“Why would I need to remember you?” Frank said. “You’re right here.” 

As soon as he finished painting Fun Ghoul’s symbol, he put his paintbrush down and turned to Frank. “I won’t be here for long,” he said. “I’m going to Ilum.” 

“When?” 

“After Ray’s surgery is over.” 

Frank looked at Gerard, hoping that this was all a joke, but he was dead serious. Already, Frank’s heart was breaking. Maybe their casual affair hadn’t meant much to Gerard, but to Frank, it was everything. Gerard’s face was all he needed to stay sane, and he had no idea what he’d do when it was all over, after Gerard was out in the Unknown Regions, where no one would ever find him.

“But why?” Frank asked in a desperate attempt to change his boyfriend’s mind. 

“The Empire’s probably looking for both Mikey and I,” Gerard explained. “We’re not safe within Imperial territory, but we might stand a chance of survival in the Unknown Regions.” 

“Mikey’s not even here,” Frank argued. 

“I still want to go to Ilum. I’ll find somewhere to live, and Mikey can join me later. You could join me too, if you want.” 

“I can’t.” 

“Why not?” 

Frank wanted nothing more than to stay with Gerard, but the rational part of him knew that he still had a million jobs left to do, jobs that wouldn’t get done if he settled down on Ilum with Gerard. Despite all of his other faults, Frank was a man of his word. He’d do nearly anything for the right price, he’d steal and kill without a second thought, but he’d never betray a friend. 

“Are you sure you want to go?” he asked after he’d finished explaining to Gerard why he couldn’t come with him. 

“I’m sure,” Gerard said. 

“And this isn’t just because of Mikey?” 

“It’s not just because of Mikey. It’s what I want.” 

Frank sighed, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He’d promised Gerard that he’d take him, as long as it was his decision, not anyone else’s. He had to set his worries aside and put Gerard first. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll take you to Ilum.” 

“Thank you, Frank,” Gerard said. 

Frank wrapped his arms around Gerard and said, “I’m going to miss you so much.” 

“I’ll miss you too,” Gerard said, and when Frank heard the sadness in his voice, he knew that this was just as painful for Gerard as it was for him. Neither of them wanted to leave, to end their relationship before it had really begun, but it would keep Gerard safe. Frank loved him, so he had to let him go. 

Knowing it was right didn’t make it any easier. 

When Ray woke up, the first thing he saw was Frank and Gerard walking back into Sola’s office. He wondered where they’d been, why they both looked so heartbroken, but he was too afraid to ask. His control chip was sitting on Sola’s desk, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The surgery had been successful. At last, he had been released from the Empire’s grip. 

As Sola started on Frank’s tattoo, Frank asked, “So Ray, where are you going after this?” 

“I don’t know,” Ray said. “What about you guys?” 

“I’m taking Gerard to Ilum,” Frank said. “Would you like to join us?” 

“Sure,” Ray said. He had nowhere else to go, so why not see the galaxy? 

“I wonder how the others are doing,” Gerard said. 

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Frank said, ignoring the pain of the tattoo. “I mean, there are three Force users on that ship. How much trouble could they really be in?” 

Ray didn’t respond. After all, he knew exactly how easy it was to kill a Jedi. 

When Sola was done tattooing the scorpion on Frank’s neck, and Gerard was done gushing over how beautiful the tattoo was, the three of them headed back to the Black Mariah. This time, Ray made sure never to let Frank and Gerard out of his sight. The last thing he wanted was to get left behind again. 

As Frank launched the Black Mariah into space, he held Gerard close, as if he’d never see him again, as if tomorrow didn’t exist. Meanwhile, Ray looked out the window, ready for the next chapter of his life to begin. Things had changed for all three of them, but for now, that was okay. 

Somehow, Ray got a feeling that once they got to Ilum, nothing would ever be the same again.


	32. Chapter 32

_“There’s a reason why our forebears turned their backs on the dark side. As Jedi, we must be mindful of our fear and our anger, and we must temper it if we do not wish to take our first steps on the path toward the dark side of the Force.” - Mace Windu, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As Pete’s lightsaber clashed with Brendon’s, Mikey charged toward them, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He was eager to apply what he’d learned from Pete and Patrick, but there was more to it than that. He would destroy Brendon before he got another chance to make Pete cry. He would make him pay for what he’d done to Patrick. He and Pete would finally get their sweet revenge. 

Mikey slashed toward Brendon, but he easily blocked it and counterattacked. However, Mikey knew exactly what to do. He effortlessly parried each of Brendon’s attacks, and soon, he had the upper hand. He kept his distance, focusing on defending himself, but when he did attack, he got close to hitting him. He could tell that Brendon couldn’t keep this up forever. Soon, Mikey would be victorious. Pete occasionally attempted to attack Brendon as well, but all he really did was disrupt Mikey’s laser-like focus. 

As Mikey went in for his next attack, Brendon raised one hand in the air and tried to pull Mikey closer using the Force. However, Mikey immediately figured out what he was trying to do, and he used the Force to push Brendon to the ground. 

“Nice one,” Pete said as Brendon struggled to get up. 

“I think you taught me that,” Mikey said with a smile. 

“No, I’m pretty sure it was Patrick.” 

All of a sudden, Patrick started to stir. 

“Speak of the devil,” Pete whispered. 

“H-holy smokes,” Patrick said as he opened his eyes. “Pete?” 

“Patrick!” Pete exclaimed. “You’re alive!” 

Pete stepped closer to Patrick, but Brendon somersaulted in front of him and blocked him with his lightsaber. “Don’t you dare,” he said. “If you want him to live, you’ll have to get through me.” When Pete hesitated, he added, “Or you could just turn to the dark side. Once I get rid of your little sidekick, you’ll never be able to beat me anyways.” 

“No, Pete,” Patrick said weakly. “Don’t…” 

“Don’t listen to him!” Brendon shouted. “Pete, the dark side’s fun. You can do whatever you want, and you never have to repent. Also, we have cookies.” 

“What kind of cookies?” Pete asked. 

“Seriously, Pete?” Mikey said. All of a sudden, Brendon thrusted his lightsaber toward Mikey, and if he hadn’t ducked at just the right moment, Brendon surely would have killed him. 

“I was just kidding,” Pete said, but Brendon and Mikey were too busy fighting to listen to him. As their lightsabers clashed, Pete snuck around to Patrick’s interrogation chair. He sliced through each of his restraints, but when he was done, Patrick yelped in pain as his left hand tumbled to the floor. 

“I’m sorry!” Pete exclaimed, panicked. “I didn’t mean to…” 

“Not again,” Patrick mumbled as he stumbled to his feet. He was definitely in bad shape, but he was alive, and that was what mattered. 

Meanwhile, Mikey slashed toward Brendon, trying to gain an advantage in the fight. Now that Mikey wasn’t repressing his abilities anymore, he felt like he truly understood the power of the Force. He felt it flowing through him, and he used it to sharpen his reflexes, to make his strikes even more precise than they already were. He attacked Brendon again and again, but every time, he parried his blows. Nevertheless, Pete and Patrick looked quite impressed. It had only been a few weeks since Mikey first picked up a lightsaber, but already, he could hold his own in a fight.

Finally, Brendon noticed that Pete had freed Patrick from the interrogation chair. “What do you think you’re doing?” he exclaimed as he thrust his red, double-bladed lightsaber toward the two of them. 

All of a sudden, Mikey launched himself into the air, flawlessly executed a flying lunge, and landed right in front of Pete and Patrick. “Don’t you dare hurt my friends,” he said. 

They say the devil that you know is better than the devil that you don’t, but Mikey wasn’t so sure. He knew exactly what Brendon was about to do, and he was more than ready to defend his attack, but he didn’t know if that made it any better. Pete and Patrick were still in danger, and unless he could gain the upper hand in this fight, Brendon would surely kill Patrick and convince Pete to turn to the dark side. 

Their lightsabers clashed a few more times, and as Brendon swung his lightsaber away from him in an attempt to stab his opponent in the back, Mikey saw his opportunity. He swung his lightsaber toward the double-bladed lightsaber’s hilt, cracking it into two pieces. Brendon was so surprised that he dropped the weapon, and with that, his opponent was completely disarmed. 

He’d won the fight, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted revenge.

Mikey kept on spinning his lightsaber toward Brendon until he was backed into a corner, helpless. “Please,” Brendon said as Mikey held his lightsaber in front of him, ready for one last downward slash. “I’m far too young to die.” 

“You tried to kill all my friends. You betrayed Pete and tried to turn him to your side. You took Patrick and tortured him. You deserve this, Brendon. I’m taking back the life you stole.” 

Just as Mikey was about to stab him with his lightsaber, he heard Pete shout, “No, Mikey! Don’t do it!” 

Mikey froze and turned back toward Pete and Patrick. “Why not?” he asked. 

“It’s...it’s not the Jedi way,” Patrick said. 

“But I’m not a Jedi.” 

Mikey turned back to Brendon, but he couldn’t stop thinking about what Pete and Patrick had said. He stood in place, unsure what to do, but in the end, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t shake the feeling that if he killed Brendon, he would be taking the first step toward becoming him. 

All of a sudden, Brendon raised his hand in an attempt to Force choke his enemies. Pete grabbed Patrick’s hand and sprinted out the door, and Mikey quickly ran after them. Once they were far enough away from Brendon, Mikey handed the blue-green lightsaber back to Patrick. 

“Thanks, Mikey,” Patrick said softly as he took the lightsaber, switched it off, and attached it to his belt. “You both did an amazing job out there, by the way.” 

“Anything for you, Lunchbox,” Pete said. 

The three of them ran back the way they came, and eventually, they made it back into the Horseshoe Crab, where Joe was waiting for them. “Patrick!” he exclaimed as he gave him a quick hug. “It’s good to see you again.” 

“It’s good to see you too,” Patrick said. 

“What happened to your hand?”

“It was Pete’s fault. I was strapped to an interrogation chair, and he accidentally chopped off my hand when he was freeing me. At least it was my robotic hand and not my real one.” He sighed and said, “I can’t believe we made it out of there alive.” 

“Me neither,” Pete said as he searched around the ship for some food. All of that fighting had made him strangely hungry. 

Mikey remained stone faced as he sat next to Joe, still unable to believe everything that had happened. The fight with Brendon was like something out of one of his brother’s comic books. It still didn’t feel quite real to him. 

He was terrified that Brendon might come back someday, but as usual, Pete was right. Killing him would have only made things worse. Mikey tried his best to breathe, to relax, to temper the darkness with him, but nevertheless, his anxieties remained. 

“Where are we going next?” Mikey asked as Joe steered the Y-wing away from the Star Destroyer. 

“That’s a good question,” Pete said. 

“I don’t know,” Joe said. “Let me check which planets are nearby.” 

As Joe turned on the ship’s radar, Mikey realized just how much he missed Gerard. He’d enjoyed traveling across the galaxy with his friends, but he wondered when he’d get to see his big brother again. More than anything, he hoped Ray, Frank, and Gerard were okay, wherever they were. 

“That’s weird,” Joe said suddenly. 

“What is it?” Patrick asked. 

“There are a whole bunch of Imperial ships headed for Tatooine,” he said. 

“Tatooine?” Mikey said, confused. If there was a bright center to the universe, Tatooine was the planet it was farthest from. 

“Maybe we should see what’s going on,” Patrick suggested. 

“Or maybe you should get a new hand first,” Pete said. “You can’t fight like that, Trick.” 

“I can at least try.” 

Pete smiled and wrapped his arms around Patrick. “I don’t think you realize just how amazing you are,” he said. 

“Oh, come on. You were the one who was brave enough to rescue me.” 

“Mikey helped too!” 

Mikey sat back and relaxed - it seemed like everything had gone back to normal at last. He had no idea where the Horseshoe Crab was going next, when he’d see his brother again, or if the Rebellion would ever defeat the Empire, but he knew he’d go wherever life took him. The Force would show him the way.


	33. Chapter 33

_“What you want isn’t always what you need.” - Jae Neb, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

The Black Mariah was in the Unknown Regions now, only a few parsecs from Ilum, and Frank had never felt so miserable in his life. As soon as they made it to their destination, Gerard, the only person he’d ever truly loved, would leave him. He considered turning the ship around, flying back toward the center of the galaxy, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He couldn’t let Gerard down or break his promise. He had to take him to Ilum, even if it meant that they might never see each other again. 

Frank wondered what he’d do after Gerard was gone. There was no one in the galaxy like him, no one with his art skills, his way with words, his creative genius. No one else understood him like Gerard. No one else could love him in the same way Gerard did. Without him, Frank would be lost. After all, what was the point in saving the galaxy if he couldn’t be with the boy he loved? 

He glanced toward Gerard, who was staring out the window, lost in thought. “Is everything okay?” Frank asked. 

“Stop asking me questions,” Gerard mumbled. “I’d hate to see you cry.” 

What Frank didn’t tell was that he’d felt like crying ever since Gerard had told him that he wanted to go to Ilum. He tried to stay strong, but most of the time, he just wanted to break down.

All of a sudden, Gerard started to tear up, and Frank felt like all the stars in the sky were falling on him at once. 

“I don’t want to leave you,” Gerard said. 

“Then don’t,” Frank said. 

“I have to. I need to.” 

“Things are better if you stay, Gee. You’re the only thing that’s keeping me going.”

“You’ll find someone else, I’m sure.” 

“I don’t want someone else, Gee. I want you.” 

“I...I’m sorry, Frank. I wish we could have been together for longer. I wish we had a lifetime, an eternity, just you and me.” 

“Me too.” 

“Just know that I love you, Frank. Now and always.” 

“I love you too,” Frank said, but it didn’t make it any easier. Soon, he and Gerard would go their separate ways. They’d have to say goodbye as soon as they reached Ilum. Knowing that Gerard loved him didn’t change any of that. 

Gerard pulled out his sketchbook and opened it to the picture Frank had drawn of him, shortly after they’d met. “By the way, I think you…” 

Before he could finish his sentence, Ray walked into the room. “Frank, could you actually pilot the ship please?” he said. “We’re almost to the Ilum system.” 

Frank sighed, while Gerard said, “Wait a second. Ray, could you take one last picture of us?” 

“I guess so,” Ray said. Gerard and Frank posed for the camera as Ray snapped photo after photo. As he kissed Gerard for what he feared might be the last time, he thought of how much he’d miss him, how he’d be losing his better half. At least after he left, he’d have the photo to remember him by. He’d have something more than just memories of how he felt lying next to him.

Ray put away his camera, and Frank reluctantly went into the cockpit and steered the Black Mariah into the Ilum system. He went as slowly as he could in a desperate attempt to extend the limited time he had left with Gerard, but when Ray reminded him that they didn’t have all day, he had no choice but to pick up the pace. Before he knew it, the Black Mariah was orbiting Ilum. 

However, when Frank looked out the window, he saw that something was very wrong. The Empire seemed to have beaten them to the planet - there were Imperial ships everywhere - but it was worse than that. 

“What the hell happened?” Gerard said when he saw the snow-covered planet. 

“I have no idea,” Frank said, and it was the truth. He’d never seen anything like this. It looked as if the planet was starting to cave in, with a wide trench forming around the equator, but he didn’t know what the Empire could have possibly done to this planet to cause that. He’d thought that the destruction they’d brought about on Truwel was bad, but this was an even grimmer fate. 

“We can’t land here,” Gerard said, and Frank nodded. He didn’t know how he could get past the swarm of TIE fighters surrounding the planet, and even if he somehow managed to do it, the planet wasn’t safe. He looked toward Gerard, wondering what he would do. 

Gerard paused to think for a moment, and then he said, “Well, Frank, you got your wish.”

“You’re staying here?” 

“I think so.” 

Frank suddenly dashed toward Gerard and gave him a hug. “Whoa, take it easy, Frankie,” Gerard said as he tried to regain his balance, but Frank just held him tighter. He’d never felt as relieved as he did in that moment, knowing that his boyfriend wouldn’t be leaving him after all. The Empire was devastating entire planets, the whole galaxy was falling apart, but at least he had Gerard. 

“I’m still kind of worried,” Gerard said. 

“Why?” Frank asked. 

“I thought Ilum would be safe, since it’s so far away from the rest of the galaxy,” Gerard explained. “If the Empire’s already here, then what hope do we have? They won’t stop until they’ve conquered the whole goddamn universe. Maybe we should choose defeat and walk away.”

“No, I think we can win,” Frank said. “It’ll take time, but we can do it.” 

Gerard sighed. “I hope you’re right,” he said. “I just can’t believe what they did to that planet. It looked like it was collapsing.” 

“I think they were mining,” Ray chimed in. 

“Mining for what?” Gerard said. 

“Kyber crystals,” Ray said. “Patrick said that they’re found here.” 

Frank nodded. It all made sense now: the Empire wanted the kyber crystals for themselves. He just wished that they could do that without destroying the planet in the process. 

“Speaking of Patrick, I hope he’s doing okay,” Gerard said. “Maybe we should send a hologram to the Horseshoe Crab to make sure everything’s alright.” 

“I’m sure Patrick’s fine,” Ray said, but it sounded strangely bitter. 

“Ray, is everything okay?” Gerard said. 

“I thought Patrick would hate me after what I’ve done, but he just acts like he doesn’t know me,” Ray said. “Maybe he really can’t distinguish me from the other clones, or maybe he’s too mad at me to even acknowledge that I exist. I don’t know which one hurts more.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“I was the one who shot Patrick’s master.”

Frank and Gerard were shocked for a moment, but Gerard quickly gave Ray a hug. “It’s not your fault,” he told him. “Besides, Patrick wasn’t there when it happened. I doubt he even knows.” 

“Jedi can sense these things,” Ray said. “Trust me, I served under them for years.” 

“I think you just need to talk to him,” Gerard said. “I mean, he’s Patrick. I think he’ll understand.” 

Frank hadn’t thought it was possible, but as he listened to Gerard giving advice to Ray, he fell for him even harder than he already had. To Frank, he was beautiful, inside and out, and he couldn’t wait to see what their future would hold. 

“Anyways, I’m going to send a hologram to their ship,” Gerard said. “I want to make sure they’re okay.” 

He turned on the holorecorder, and within seconds, Mikey appeared as a blue-tinted hologram. “Hi Mikey,” Gerard said as he waved to his little brother. 

“Hi Gee,” Mikey said. “What’s going on? Why are you calling me?” 

“I just wanted to check in. Are you guys still on Chadhillit?” 

Mikey shook his head. “We’re somewhere in the Arkanis sector, I think.” 

“How’d you get there?” 

“It’s a long story.” 

“I have time.” 

“Chadhillit was a total mess…” 

“I told you so!” Frank shouted. 

“So we left, but one of the Inquisitors attacked us…” 

“Wait, what?!” Gerard exclaimed. “An Inquisitor attacked you? Are you okay?!” 

“We’re fine now...well, Patrick lost his hand, but that’s Pete’s fault…”

“Patrick lost his hand?!” 

“The Inquisitor took Patrick, but Pete and I rescued him, and when Pete tried to release him from his interrogation chair, he accidentally cut off his hand. It’s not that big of a deal though. It was his robotic hand though, not his real one.”

“That doesn’t make it any better!” 

“Anyways, we’re all fine now, and Pete and Patrick both said I did a great job fighting Brendon…” 

Gerard sighed. “Mikey, you were supposed to stay out of trouble.” 

“It’s not _my_ fault that Brendon attacked our ship. Besides, while we were fighting the Inquisitorius, I bet you spent all this time with Frank…” 

He wasn’t wrong, but Gerard wasn’t about to tell him that. “Actually, we took Ray to Kriselist, and now we’re in the Ilum system,” he said. 

“Are we going to Ilum?” 

“No. The Empire’s already there, and they’ve nearly destroyed the planet. It’s too dangerous for us.” 

“So what are we going to do now?” 

“I don’t know, but we should meet up and talk about it. There’s some neutral territory outside the Truwel system - we can meet there.” 

Mikey turned to Joe and muttered something incomprehensible. He then turned back to Gerard and said, “Yeah, that’s fine. We can meet you there.” 

“Okay,” Gerard said. “See you soon, Mikey. Don’t be afraid to keep on living.” 

The hologram disappeared, and with Ray and Gerard by his side, Frank steered the ship back toward Truwel. He didn’t know what would happen next, but he had his boyfriend, and that was enough.


	34. Chapter 34

_“Falling in love is the greatest sin a Jedi can commit. Becoming romantically attached to another is a betrayal of the Jedi Order, and it will inevitably lead to the dark side of the Force.” - Motta Kreeta Kuka, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As the Horseshoe Crab flew away from Brendon’s Star Destroyer, Patrick found his own little corner of the ship, away from everyone else. He tried to help out around the ship where he could, assisting Joe with navigation and teaching Mikey new lightsaber techniques, but when there was nothing to do, he retreated to his corner. Sometimes, he sang to himself or rewatched old holograms, but most of the time, he simply meditated on what had happened over the last few days. 

Thinking of Pete seemed to be the one habit he couldn’t break. He was like a song stuck in his head, playing again and again. He thought of how Pete had rescued him, how he’d had the bravery to fight off Brendon, how his hand had felt nestled in his. He knew he wasn’t supposed to get attached like this, but he was irresistible. 

Besides, Patrick was sure that his feelings for Pete were pushing him toward the light side, not the dark. He’d always been told that attachment led to fear, anger, and depression, but whenever he was around Pete, he felt confident, calm, and happy. He felt like he could do anything, as long as they were together. How could the Jedi say that was a bad thing?

One day, as Patrick lay on the floor in his corner of the Y-wing, replaying the fight in Brendon’s Star Destroyer in his mind for the millionth time, Pete walked in, carrying a teacup. Patrick admired his tan skin, his tattoos, his deep brown eyes lined with black eyeliner, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Hi Lunchbox,” he said. “I brought you some tea.” 

Patrick smiled. It was times like these that made him realize what an amazing person Pete was on the inside, how kind and generous he was, even when nobody else noticed. “Thanks,” Patrick said softly as he reached out with his good hand and took the teacup. 

“Do you want anything in it?” Pete asked. 

“A little bit of honey would be great.” 

“Honey is for bees, silly bear,” he said, but nevertheless, he left to get some. 

While Pete was gone, Patrick sipped his tea. He thought about the past, the present, and the future, and he wondered if the galaxy would ever know peace again. Someday, maybe the Empire would fall, but he worried that it would take more than just a handful of rebels to bring them down. They couldn’t take down the Empire if they were fighting just to survive. 

Pete returned with a container of honey, and as he poured a little bit into Patrick’s tea, Patrick’s thoughts drifted back to the beautiful boy in front of him. “Thanks Pete,” he said once Pete was done. 

“No problem,” Pete said as Patrick drank more of his tea. “I’m so sorry about your hand, by the way. I tried to be careful, but my lightsaber slipped, and…” 

“It’s not that big of a deal.” 

“Yes, it is!” Pete exclaimed. “I cut off your hand!” 

“It was an accident, and it’s just metal,” Patrick said. “It can be replaced.” 

“Yeah, but how are we going to do that? We’re in deep space right now.” 

“We’ll figure it out.” Patrick took a deep breath and then added, “Pete, there’s something I want to talk to you about.” 

“What is it, mon cheri?” Pete asked as he sat down next to Patrick. 

“I’ve just been thinking about what it was like in the few weeks after the raid on the Jedi temple, before we met the others, before we joined the Rebellion, and I miss that. I miss having you as my best friend, my partner in crime.”

“I miss that too.” 

“I don’t want to fight with you anymore, Pete. I want us to be friends again, or maybe more than that, if you’d like, because I’ve realized something really important. I know you’re in love with me - you said so back on Utapau - but I…I think I love you too, Pete.” 

“Wait, really?” 

“Yeah,” Patrick said, blushing. “I was just too scared to admit it before. I didn’t want to turn to the dark side, but now I know falling in love won’t do that to me. As long as we stay away from aggression, fear, anger, and hatred, I think we’ll be okay.” 

“I think so too,” Pete said. “It’s just...all this time, I thought you hated me.” 

“You can be a pain sometimes, but I’ve never hated you, not even a little bit,” Patrick said. “And to be fair, until you fell in that sinkhole, I thought you were just joking around whenever you were flirting with me.” 

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you joke around about everything else!” 

“But you’re the cutest guy I know!” Pete exclaimed. “Why wouldn’t I want you?” 

Patrick felt his cheeks turning bright red once again. “I’m not good enough for you, Pete. I’m chubby, awkward, shy…” 

“You’re not good enough for me? That’s ridiculous, Trick,” Pete said. “You’re a great guy - I don’t think you even realize how great you are. You’re the kindest, most empathetic Jedi I know, and you understand me like no one else does. I can think of a million reasons why I don’t deserve you, but I’m not going to think about that right now, because you...you actually like me! I still can’t really believe that.” 

Patrick took another sip of his tea and snuggled closer to Pete. With Pete’s arms around him, he felt warm and fuzzy inside. He could forget all about the Empire and all of the danger that lay ahead. All that mattered was the gorgeous boy holding him tight, the boy who loved him to death. 

“I heard you singing earlier,” Pete said. 

Patrick laughed. “I’m no good, really,” he said. “I just do it for fun sometimes. I think I could be a good drummer if I practiced though. I even filled in for the Modal Nodes once while I was on an undercover mission with Ki-Adi-Mundi…” 

“I thought you were amazing,” Pete interrupted. 

“Are you sure your ears are working, Pete?” 

“You have a soul voice!” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“Yes, you do, and I’m going to prove it,” Pete said. “Can you sing something for me, Patrick?” When Patrick hesitated, he said, “Please?” 

Patrick sighed and started to sing as Pete held him closer. He was sure Pete would hate his voice, but when Pete looked at him with those deep brown eyes and smiled, he couldn’t say no to him. 

When he finished the song, Pete pressed his lips to Patrick’s. As he set his teacup down and kissed Pete back, Patrick closed his eyes and felt the sparks flowing between them. He took his time, moving slowly and carefully as he savored the moment. 

This was even better than the last time he’d kissed Pete. For one, his lips didn’t taste like saltwater. 

“That was amazing,” Pete said as he pulled away, breathless. 

“The song or the kiss?” Patrick asked. 

“Both,” Pete said. 

Pete rested his head on Patrick’s shoulder, and he was about to say something to him, but all of a sudden, Mikey walked in. 

“There you are,” Mikey said. “Joe and I were looking for you two.” 

“What is it?” Patrick asked as he moved away from Pete. 

“I just got a hologram from my brother,” Mikey explained. “We’re changing course so that we can rendez-vous with the Black Mariah outside of the Truwel system.” 

“But what about all of those Imperial ships headed for Tatooine?” Pete said. 

“We can talk to the others about it, and maybe we can do something to help,” Mikey said. “I want to talk to Frank, Ray, and Gerard before we do anything though.” 

“That makes sense,” Pete said. 

The three of them headed toward the cockpit, where Joe was busy piloting the ship back toward the Truwel system. Patrick stared out the window into the inky, black void of deep space, unsure what would happen next, where his life was going. He wanted something brighter in the galaxy, a little bit of hope, but he wasn’t sure if he could make that happen. 

All of a sudden, Pete took his hand, and even with everything they’d been through, he knew he’d do it all again.


	35. Chapter 35

_“It’s always nice to see an old friend again.” - Ashex Wenvoll, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As Gerard stepped across the bridge and into the Horseshoe Crab, he couldn’t help but worry about what had happened to his brother and his friends. The Inquisitorius had already attacked them once - what would stop them from doing it again? Would they ever be safe again? 

Sometimes, he wondered if he would have been better off staying home, only learning about the Jedi through his extensive comic book collection. He could have ignored the information on the data pod, he could have kept his old job, he could be designing propaganda posters for the Empire right now. Maybe nobody would have noticed that Mikey was Force-sensitive, just like nobody noticed for the first sixteen years of his life. Maybe they would have been better off. 

Then again, if he’d stayed home, he never would have met Frank. 

Gerard pressed a kiss to Frank’s lips just as the two of them entered the Horseshoe Crab. Ray followed closely behind, rolling his eyes as Frank leaned in for another kiss. 

“You know, maybe it’s not the best idea to make out while walking,” Ray said. “You’re going to run into something one of these days.” 

“It’s not my fault that Gee’s so cute,” Frank said. 

Gerard smiled as he pulled away from Frank, knowing that he was lucky to have such an incredible boyfriend. He couldn’t believe that just a few days ago, he’d nearly left him. The thought that he might never see Frank again nearly broke him, but at the time, he thought it was the right thing to do. Now that he knew that the Empire had invaded even the farthest corners of the galaxy, that no planet was safe anymore, he promised himself that he’d never leave Frank again. Frank was the only hope for him, after all. 

As the three of them headed into the cockpit, Gerard spotted the crew members of the Horseshoe Crab. Joe was in the captain’s chair, and Pete was standing next to him, with one arm wrapped around Patrick. Finally, hiding behind Pete, with his nose in a book, there was Mikey.

As soon as he spotted him, Gerard flung his arms around his little brother. “Hi Mikey,” he said. “It’s so good to see you.” 

“It’s good to see you too, I guess,” Mikey said as he put his book down and awkwardly hugged his brother. 

“How have you been?” 

“Okay. Nothing’s really happened since I sent that hologram,” Mikey said. “I missed you a lot.” 

“I missed you too. The ship feels...incomplete without you.” 

Just as Mikey was about to say something, a hologram of Andy appeared. “Hi everybody,” he said. “How’s it going out there?” 

“It’s been...interesting, to say the least,” Joe said. 

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Ray said. 

“We’re all still alive though, and that’s what counts, right?” Pete said. 

Andy nodded. “That’s good, but just surviving isn’t enough. The Empire’s only growing stronger, and we need to fight back.” 

“You don’t have to tell us twice,” Joe said. “Apparently they’ve already been to Ilum, and they’re heading to Tatooine next.” 

“Tatooine?” Frank said, confused. “Why?” 

“We don’t know yet,” Joe said. “Before we decided to meet up, we were going to go there and see what was going on.” 

“I think I know,” Gerard said. Everyone looked at him expectantly, and he said, “It’s because of Obi-Wan Kenobi.” 

“Master Kenobi’s alive?” Patrick said. 

“I don’t know if he really is or not, but the Empire thinks he’s hiding on Tatooine,” Gerard said. “It’s all in the data pod.” 

“That’s crazy. I thought he died with the rest of the Jedi,” Patrick said. 

“Me too,” Pete said. 

Once Pete and Patrick got over the shock of Obi-Wan Kenobi possibly being alive, Frank said, “We need to protect Tatooine, regardless of whether this Obi-Wan guy is there or not. I don’t want it to turn out like the rest of the planets the Empire has invaded.” 

“I agree with Frank, although I can’t imagine why the Empire would want Tatooine unless Kenobi’s there,” Ray said. “I went there once during the Clone Wars, and it’s just a bunch of desert.” 

“That’s what I thought too,” Patrick said.

“We need to protect Kenobi, for sure,” Pete said. “Enough Jedi have died already.” 

“Okay, it sounds like a lot of you want to go to Tatooine,” Andy said. “Can everybody who wants to go raise their hands?” 

Every single person aboard the ship raised their hand. When Gerard looked around, he smiled. Even his brother, who’d said a million times that it wasn’t his place to rebel against the Empire, wanted to defend the small desert planet. 

“Alright, it looks like we’re going to Tatooine,” Andy said. “I’ll send over Hayley and a few of the other rebels who are still here to help you, but it’s still going to be a small fleet.”

“That’s fine,” Frank said. “Hopefully we’ll get some support from the people who are already there.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Andy said. “Tatooine’s sparsely populated.” 

“Well, I still think we can beat the Empire, but even if we don’t, who cares?” Frank said. 

Gerard nodded. “Frank’s right,” he said. “It ain't about all the friends you've made, but the graffiti they write on your grave.” 

Everyone nodded, but all of a sudden, Pete jumped in and said, “Hey, maybe we could get a dragon and burn down the whole Imperial fleet!” 

“I like that idea,” Gerard said. 

“What are you guys talking about?” Joe said. “Dragons don’t exist.” 

“You just don’t have enough of an imagination,” Gerard said. 

“What about unicorns?” Mikey chimed in. “Unicorns are pretty cool.” 

Andy laughed. “How did you guys manage to derail the conversation this much?” he said. “We’re supposed to be talking about how we’re going to defend Tatooine.” 

“I have some ideas,” Joe said. 

As Joe shared his plans with the group, Gerard noticed Pete and Mikey sneaking off together. For a moment, he wondered what they were up to, but he ultimately decided it was none of his business. As much as he’d missed his little brother over the last few weeks, he had to give him some space. 

Gerard held onto Frank’s hand, and for a moment, he was ready for a firefight, ready for whatever was coming for him. He had his reservations about resisting the Empire’s attack on Tatooine, but as long as he had Frank, he knew it would all work out. 

Meanwhile, Mikey and Pete were in the next room over, hoping that nobody would notice that they were gone. “Ugh, all of this talk of tactics and strategy is so _boring_ ,” Pete complained. 

“I know, right?” Mikey said as Pete dug through their food.

“Want some?” Pete asked as he found a few pieces of candy. “I stole it back when we were on Truwel.” 

“Sure,” Mikey said, and Pete handed some of the candy to him, keeping a couple of pieces for himself. As he unwrapped the candy, Mikey said to Pete, “You know, it’s nice to finally get to hang out with you. You’ve been spending a lot of time with Patrick lately.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Pete said. “It’s just...I’ve spent so long loving him from afar, and now it turns out that he actually likes me back.” 

Mikey smiled. “I knew you and Patrick would get together one of these days,” he said. 

“Wait a second,” Pete said. “You knew he liked me?” 

“No, but I had my suspicions,” Mikey said. “You two make a really cute couple, by the way.” 

“Thanks,” Pete said with a smile. “I think I need to be a better friend to you though. I was going to hang out with you yesterday, but then Patrick came in, and we cuddled for a while, and then things started getting kind of heated, and then he…” 

“Pete, I don’t need a play-by-play,” Mikey said. 

“Sorry,” Pete said. “My point is that Patrick and I are a two-man gang, but so are we. We’ll always be the Sweet Little Dudes. Nothing can take that away from us.” 

“Of course,” Mikey said, smiling. When he’d left Coruscant, he’d never expected to find a new best friend, much less one like Pete. Sometimes, he still wished he could go back home, back to his parents and his old friends, but he was glad he’d befriended Pete, even if it seemed they had almost nothing in common sometimes. Then again, Pete and Patrick didn’t have much in common either. 

Mikey glanced toward Pete’s wrist as he shoveled candy into his mouth. There was a keyhole tattooed there, with the words “Be free” written underneath. “What does that tattoo mean?” Mikey asked. 

“I don’t know, I just got it for fun,” Pete said. “Did you see the scorpion Frank got on his neck though? It looks really cool.”

“It has to mean something,” Mikey said, ignoring Pete’s attempt at changing the subject. 

“It’s a reminder,” Pete said quietly. 

“A reminder of what?” 

“A reminder that I don’t have to share everything with everyone. A reminder that I can keep secrets too.” 

There was a long period of silence, and then Pete said, “Want to play a game or something? I think Joe has a dejarik table around here somewhere.” 

“Sure,” he said, but as Pete set up the game, Mikey wondered what he was still keeping under lock and key. 

After the meeting was over, Gerard said goodbye to his brother once again, and then he, Frank, and Ray returned to the Black Mariah. “Don’t worry, Gee,” Frank said to him as they stepped aboard the TIE fighter. “We’ll meet up with the Horseshoe Crab again on Tatooine.” 

“I know,” Gerard said. “We’ll see Mikey and the others again soon. I just hope that defending Tatooine is the right decision. We’ve already destroyed so much. I must have killed dozens of stormtroopers already, people with families and friends and lovers…” 

“You’re exaggerating,” Frank said.

“I don’t think I am,” Gerard said. “I know we’re in a war, but I don’t think I can kill again. It’s like a stain that never comes off the sheets…” 

“I get it,” Frank said. “I felt that way at first too, and it doesn’t really get any easier. Hopefully, Tatooine will be less of a bloodbath than Truwel.” 

“I hope so,” Gerard said. 

He reached for his sketchbook, an automatic reaction whenever he was feeling sad or anxious, but for some reason, he couldn’t find it. 

“Oh, sorry,” Frank said as he handed Gerard the sketchbook. “I might have borrowed it for a little bit.” 

“Frank!” Gerard exclaimed. 

“I really liked your story ideas. The one with the superheroes was amazing.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. You could publish this stuff.” 

“You’re just saying that because you’re my boyfriend.” 

“I swear I’m not. You’re a genius, Gee.” 

Frank quickly kissed Gerard and then went back to piloting the Black Mariah, following the Horseshoe Crab to Tatooine. Gerard didn’t know what would happen when they got there, or if they would even survive the battle, but he’d go down in a hail of bullets if he had to. When he set out on this journey, he’d only wanted to help his little brother, but now, they might just be about to save the galaxy.


	36. Chapter 36

_“Always make the most of the time you have.” - Schnur Absi, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

The Horseshoe Crab had just entered the Tatoo system, with its twin suns shining bright, and Patrick wanted nothing more than to stay on the ship, drink some tea, and maybe practice his Umbaran calligraphy. He knew how important this was, and he wanted to help Obi-Wan Kenobi, if he was even still alive, but he was scared. There were so many ways this could go wrong. He could die, or worse, Pete could die. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this would all turn out to be a complete disaster. 

As they came closer to Tatooine, Patrick got a better view of the planet. It was just as he remembered: a brown, sandy world, nothing particularly special. Yet, there was a large group of Imperial ships orbiting Tatooine, and they were about to close in.

Patrick hummed a tune to himself, hoping that it would make him feel better, and within seconds, Pete walked in. “I heard you singing again,” Pete said as he sat down next to him. “It sounded amazing.” 

“Thanks,” Patrick said, blushing. 

“I just got a hologram from Andy, by the way,” Pete said. “Apparently we’re flying a Z-95 together.” 

“You would have known that already if you went to the strategy meeting.” 

“Strategy’s boring.” 

“It’s important. We can’t just rush into everything.” 

“But wouldn’t it be more fun that way?” 

“We’re not here to have fun. We’re here to protect a planet full of innocent people.” 

“I don’t see why those two things have to be mutually exclusive.”

Patrick sighed. “Can we focus?” he said. Pete nodded, and Patrick said, “I love you, Pete, but I’d really like to defend Tatooine without us getting killed.” 

Just as Pete was about to respond, Joe barged in. “We’re about to rendez-vous with the Z-95,” he said. “You two need to climb aboard.” 

As the two of them headed toward the bridge, Pete grabbed onto Patrick’s hand. “Are you ready for this?” he asked. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Patrick said. 

When both of them were on board, Patrick took control of the ship, disconnected from the Horseshoe Crab, and flew closer to Tatooine. As Patrick tried to focus on steering, Pete did everything he could to divert his attention, but somehow, he didn’t mind the distraction.

“Hey Trick, could you sing me a song?” Pete said. “Maybe something like ‘Pete, I know you’re the patron saint of liars and fakes, but you’re still awesome and you’re totally going to win this epic space battle?’”

Patrick smiled. “Maybe after we get back,” he said as the Z-95 zoomed toward a cluster of Imperial starships. 

As their ship drew closer, Patrick saw that some of the Truwel Rebellion’s other ships were already here. There were three other Z-95s, chasing after Imperial TIE fighters, and the Black Mariah and the Horseshoe Crab were already shooting down the Empire’s cruisers. Pete eagerly reached for the ship’s cannons, but when he fired, he shot right over the nearest TIE fighter and almost hit the Horseshoe Crab. 

“Pete!” Patrick exclaimed as he swerved out of the way of one of the TIE fighters’ laser cannons. “You could have killed Mikey and Joe!” 

“Sorry,” Pete said. 

“Maybe we can get the astromech droid…” 

“R1-69?” 

“Yeah, her,” Patrick said, blushing furiously. “Maybe she can help correct your aim.” 

Patrick connected R1 to the ships’ cannons, and with the help of his droid, Pete’s aim started to improve. However, there was hardly any use for it when Frank was in the Black Mariah, sending whole rows of Imperial fighters crashing toward the surface of Truwel. Soon, the Truwel Rebellion was no longer outnumbered. The Imperial fleet was decimated.

As the Horseshoe Crab shot at one of the few remaining Imperial ships, causing it to spin off into deep space, Pete picked up the radio, connected to the Horseshoe Crab, and said, “Not bad, Joe.” 

Joe laughed and said, “Thanks, Pete” before he disconnected. 

The battle was starting to wind down. The idea of keeping the Empire from invading Tatooine had seemed daunting, but in the end, it wasn’t too hard. The Empire hadn’t sent too many ships, and their soldiers were awful shots. As Patrick checked the essential systems, he saw that the Z-95 had barely taken any damage at all. They were safe, and soon, Tatooine would be too. 

Of course, maybe this would turn out like Truwel. Maybe they’d win once, only for the Empire to strike back harder. Maybe this was all for nothing. 

Patrick hoped that wasn’t true. 

Just as one of the other Z-95s shot down the last Imperial ship, Pete turned to Patrick and said, “So Sophomore Stump, can you sing me that song I wanted?” 

“What did you want to hear again?” 

“Pete, you won your epic space battle, so here’s a song with a ridiculously long title about how you’re in love with your own sins and how you’re not nearly as cute as your boyfriend.”

“I don’t think that’s true at all, but I’ll give it a shot.” 

Patrick opened his mouth to sing, but all of a sudden, a Star Destroyer appeared out of nowhere. It was larger than all of the Truwel Rebellion’s ships combined, and it was carrying a whole squadron of TIE fighters. With this many ships and this much firepower, the rebellion didn’t stand a chance against the Galactic Empire.

Pete turned on the ship’s radio again and asked, “What do we do?” 

“I have no idea,” Frank said. “TIE fighters are one thing, but how are we going to take down a Star Destroyer?” 

“The Empire’s stronger, but we have faster ships,” Hayley said. “Maybe we can outmaneuver them.” 

“They’re the Empire,” Frank said. “We’re not going to win just by wearing them out.” 

“Do you have any better ideas?” Hayley said. When Frank didn’t respond, she said, “That’s what I thought. Everyone, focus on dodging their blasts, and try to take out their fighters if you get the chance.” 

Pete kept the radio on, but he focused on aiming his laser cannons toward one of the TIE fighters launching toward them. Meanwhile, Patrick steered the Z-95, dashing across the battlefield at full speed. He swerved back and forth, trying his best to avoid the Imperial fleet as the Star Destroyer slowly drifted closer to the surface of Tatooine. 

Both the Black Mariah and Hayley’s Z-95 got a few good shots in, and none of the Truwel Rebellion ships were too badly damaged, but they were still outnumbered. At this rate, the Empire would land on Tatooine before they got the chance to really fight back. They were losing the battle. 

“Hey, could we maybe try shooting the Star Destroyer’s engines?” Pete said into the radio. “That would make it explode, right?” 

“That’s a one in a million shot,” Joe said. 

There was a series of beeps, and then Pete said, “Actually, R1 thinks it’s more like a one in 42 trillion shot, and there’s a one in three chance of the laser ricocheting off of the Star Destroyer and blowing us up instead, but it’s worth a try, isn’t it?” 

As Pete aimed toward the Star Destroyer, Patrick said, “Pete, what are you doing?” 

“What do you think I’m doing?” Pete said. “I’m going to blow up a Star Destroyer.”

“You just heard how dangerous it is.” 

“And I’m going to try anyway.” 

“Pete, we’re both far too young to die.” 

Pete thought about it for a minute and then took his hands off of the controls. “Fine,” he said. “I still think taking out the Star Destroyer is our best shot at ending this battle and keeping Tatooine safe.” 

Patrick went back to speeding around the Star Destroyer, trying to dodge the dozens of laser bolts flying in his direction, but when he turned back to Pete, he was firing at the Star Destroyer again. The bolt flew past the ship and into deep space, but Patrick was painfully aware of how that move could have backfired and killed them both. 

Then again, maybe Pete’s idea wasn’t so crazy. They had the Force on their side, after all. 

Patrick took control of the cannons, and he let the Force flow through him. He felt the energy connecting him to everyone else on the battlefield. He felt their tension, their fear, their determination. Most of all, he felt Pete, and underneath his gorgeous brown eyes and his goofy smile, there was a sharp wit and a kind heart. There were anxieties and insecurities there too, but there was also inner strength. Patrick turned inward and tried to harness his own inner strength as he aimed toward the Star Destroyer’s engines and fired. 

The bolt flew right toward the engines, and in an instant, the Star Destroyer exploded. 

“Wow,” Pete said as he wrapped his arms around Patrick. “That was incredible, Trick!” 

“Thanks,” Patrick said. “It was your idea though, and the battle’s not over yet.” 

There were still a few TIE fighters left, but as the Black Mariah fired on them, they surrendered and started to retreat. A handful of ships couldn’t take over a whole planet, especially when the Rebellion was standing in their way. Tatooine was safe for now. 

“So now that the Empire’s gone, can you sing something for me?” Pete said. “Maybe something like, ‘Pete, you actually had a good idea for once, so maybe it’s okay that Tatooine is so two years ago and Patrick Stump is the eighth wonder of the galaxy…’” 

“Yeah, of course,” Patrick said. 

“Wait, I wasn’t finished with the song title.” 

“Maybe you should try making your song titles a little shorter then.” 

“Okay, how about ‘Pt, y ctlly hd gd d fr nc…”

“How are you even pronouncing that?” 

“I don’t know.” 

All of a sudden, something crackled through the radio. Pete and Patrick both leaned in closer to hear what was going on, but it was clear that the transmission wasn’t from any of their fellow rebels. 

“Hello there,” the voice on the other end said. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said. “It’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.”


	37. Chapter 37

_“The truth is often what we make of it.” - Obi-Wan Kenobi, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Pete turned to Patrick, his brown eyes meeting Patrick’s baby blue ones. “Master Kenobi’s alive?” he said. 

Patrick was just as surprised as Pete was that Obi-Wan had survived Order 66, and he was even more surprised that the Jedi Master had bothered to contact them. He’d met Obi-Wan a few times, but they had always seemed to be fighting on different fronts during the war. They’d never been particularly close. 

“Of course I’m alive,” Obi-Wan said. “The real mystery is how you two are still here.” 

“It’s kind of a long story,” Pete said. “We defended the Jedi Temple and barely escaped with our lives…” 

“We hid in the Ancient Texts Library during the raid, and then we flew one of the escape pods to Alsakan,” Patrick said. 

“It doesn’t sound brave and heroic when you say it like that,” Pete said. 

“I suppose it doesn’t matter,” Obi-Wan said. “Pete and Patrick, you may not realize it, but you’ve done a great service to the galaxy.” 

“Thank you,” Pete said, beaming. 

“It wasn’t just us, Obi-Wan,” Patrick said. “Defending Tatooine was Joe’s idea, and Frank, Gerard, and Ray took out most of the ships. Not to mention Mikey, Hayley, Andy…” 

“It takes a team to do anything as grand as saving a whole planet,” Obi-Wan said. “Make sure to congratulate all of them for me.” 

“Of course,” Patrick said when all of a sudden, he had an idea. “You know, you could join us too,” he said to Obi-Wan. “We’re fighting the Empire with the Truwel Rebellion, and we could always use another Jedi in our ranks.” 

Obi-Wan thought about it for a few minutes and then said, “I don’t think I can.” 

“Why not?” Patrick asked. 

“The Jedi were supposed to be guardians of peace and justice, but we failed. We abandoned our ideals, we waged war against the Separatists, and ultimately, we caused our own downfall. Those of us who survived the war have lost our friends, our brothers and sisters in arms. I...I lost someone very close to me, and I’m sure you have too.” 

Patrick nodded, remembering his old master. He wondered what Ki-Adi-Mundi would think of everything that had happened since Order 66, what he’d think of the life he led now, what he’d think of Pete. Even over a month after Mundi’s death, it still hurt to think of his master. 

“After all of this, we need to return to our roots. We need to make peace, not war.” Obi-Wan paused and then added, “Besides, I have important business on this planet, and trust me, it might help you in the fight against the Empire one day. Your destiny lies out there, in the stars, but mine lies here, on Tatooine.” 

“We understand,” Patrick said. 

“So why did you radio us?” Pete asked. 

“I was getting there,” Obi-Wan said. “I thought you two should know that there are other Jedi out there.” 

“How many do you think there are?” Patrick asked. 

“A few dozen at most,” Obi-Wan said. “I only know of a couple for sure.” 

“Is Master Mundi…”

“Neither Mundi nor Dystrala made it,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m sorry.” 

Pete looked heartbroken, so Patrick snuggled closer to him, hoping to provide some much-needed comfort. However, Patrick wasn’t feeling much better. He’d felt his master’s death through the Force, but hearing it from Obi-Wan made it more real somehow. 

“Yoda’s alive though,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Really?” Patrick said.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said. “He’s hiding in the Dagobah system right now. I’m sure he would be happy to help you complete your training, if you’d like.” 

“Holy smokes, Pete!” Patrick exclaimed, grinning. “We could be Jedi Knights!” 

Pete didn’t seem nearly as excited as Patrick, but he forced a smile and said, “Yeah, that would be cool. I just have one question.” 

“What is it?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“We have another Force user with us...his name is Mikey Way…” 

“You met another Force user? How?” 

“He rescued us on Utapau. Anyways, Mikey’s really strong with the Force, but I don’t think the Jedi even knew he existed. Can we bring him with us to Dagobah?”

“How old is he?” 

“Sixteen.” 

Obi-Wan thought about it and then said, “He might be too old.” 

“He’s not!” Pete exclaimed. “Patrick and I already taught him what we know, and he’s learned a lot. He could be a great Jedi someday if he trains with Yoda.”

“You can take him with you if you’d like, but don’t be surprised if Yoda turns him away,” Obi-Wan said after considering Pete’s argument.

Pete sighed and said, “Okay.” 

“Don’t despair,” Obi-Wan said. “We may be the last of a once-proud order, but we’ll make it through. The Force will be with us, always.” 

“Thank you, Obi-Wan,” Patrick said. “May the Force be with you.” 

The transmission ended, and Pete immediately radioed the Black Mariah and the Horseshoe Crab. “Hey, could we meet up again?” he said. “There’s something I need to talk to you guys about.” 

“Yeah, of course,” Joe said. 

Pete took control of the Z-95 and steered it closer to the Horseshoe Crab and the Black Mariah. Meanwhile, Patrick thought about what lay ahead. He’d started his Jedi training with Yoda, back when he was a youngling. It only seemed fitting that he’d finish his training with Yoda too.

Yet, Patrick was terrified. What if Yoda didn’t think he was ready to be a Jedi Knight? What if he found out about his relationship with Pete? What would Yoda think of him then? To Patrick, Yoda was one of his personal heroes. He didn’t want his mentor to think that he’d fallen to the dark side. 

Pete and Patrick climbed onto the Horseshoe Crab, and as soon as they were aboard, Pete ran off to find Mikey. Patrick followed him, and before long, they found the Way brothers flipping through a comic book together. 

“Oh come on,” Gerard complained when Patrick and Pete walked in. “We were just getting to the good part.” 

“I just need to talk to Mikey for a minute,” Pete said. 

“What’s going on?” Mikey asked. 

“Yoda’s alive, and Pete and I are going to Dagobah to see if he’ll help us finish our Jedi training,” Patrick explained. “We were wondering if you’d like to come with us.” 

“Who’s Yoda?” Mikey asked. 

“How do you not know who Yoda is?” Gerard asked. “He’s a living legend!” 

“I might have skipped the issue of True Clone Wars Adventures where he shows up,” Mikey said. 

Gerard groaned. “Sometimes, I can’t believe I put up with you,” he said. 

“Anyways, Mikey, do you want to come?” Patrick asked. 

“I don’t know,” Mikey said. 

“I think it would be fun,” Pete said. 

“It’s more than that,” Patrick said. “You need training, and you need your own lightsaber. Yoda can help with both of those things.” 

Mikey thought about it, and then he said, “I’m still not really sure…” 

“Mikey, I know I’m going to miss you a lot, but you should go,” Gerard said. “Training with Yoda is an amazing opportunity, and I don’t think you should miss out on it.” 

Mikey stayed silent for a little longer, and then he turned to Pete and Patrick and said, “Okay. I’ll come.”

“Great!” Pete exclaimed. “We’re leaving in five minutes.” 

Patrick rushed into the cockpit to grab his hat and his calligraphy pen, while Gerard gave Mikey a quick hug and said, “See you soon, little brother. Have fun on Dagobah, okay?” 

“I’m sure I will,” Mikey said, waving as he headed for the door. “So long and goodnight, Gee.” 

As Pete, Patrick, and Mikey went back to the Z-95, Frank and Ray waited in the Black Mariah, wondering what was next for the Truwel Rebellion. They’d saved Tatooine, but where would they go from here? The Empire could come back, or they could invade another planet. They could take over the whole Outer Rim, if they wanted. Maybe Gerard was right. Maybe there wasn’t anywhere in the galaxy that was safe anymore. 

“They’re leaving again,” Ray said as he watched the Z-95 speed away from Tatooine. 

“You should have told Patrick about Ki-Adi-Mundi while you had the chance,” Frank said. 

“Gerard thinks he might already know.” 

“That’s no excuse, and you know it.” 

All of a sudden, Gerard stepped onboard. He kissed Frank and then sat down next to him, but Frank could tell that he wasn’t okay. Something was very wrong. 

“What’s going on?” Frank asked him. 

“Mikey left again,” Gerard said sadly. “He’s going to Dagobah with Patrick and Pete to train with Yoda.” 

“That sounds pretty neat,” Frank said. 

“It is,” Gerard said. “I just hope everything goes okay. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my brother.” 

“I’m sure it’s going to be okay,” Frank said. “I mean, he’s just training. How dangerous could it be?” 

Gerard nodded and then glanced out the window. “Do you think there’s any coffee on Tatooine?” he asked. “I could really use some right now.” 

“Why don’t we go take a look?” Frank said. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.” 

The Black Mariah dove toward the surface of Tatooine, and when Frank saw the smile on Gerard’s face, he felt like he was on top of the world. With Tatooine safe and Gerard by his side, everything felt like it was right in the galaxy. 

Meanwhile, the Z-95 rocketed toward the Dagobah system, and no one aboard knew what to expect when they got there. “I’ve never even been to Dagobah,” Pete said. “I wonder what kind of planet it is. Maybe it’s a forest planet or an ice planet or an ocean planet…” 

“Or maybe all three?” Mikey suggested. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Pete said. 

“Hey, I think I see it,” Patrick said suddenly. 

“Where?” Pete asked. 

“Up ahead,” Patrick said. 

The planet was green and covered in clouds, and Patrick couldn’t wait to explore it. He steered the Z-95 closer and closer, until they were in Dagobah’s atmosphere. The ship smoothly glided toward the surface, and soon, they were hovering above a swamp. Patrick could feel Yoda’s presence - he knew the Jedi master was nearby.

That was when the ship lost control. 

“What’s going on?!” Pete shouted as the Z-95 jerked back and forth. Patrick tried to slow the ship down, but nothing seemed to help. The Z-95 was going far too fast, and no matter what Patrick did, he couldn’t regain control of the ship. There was no way they would be able to land safely. 

The Z-95 fell through the trees, and as they plummeted into a swamp, Patrick held onto Pete’s hand, afraid that they wouldn’t make it. Mikey was stone-faced as always, and Patrick was just terrified, but Pete seemed apathetic, as if he’d simply accepted that this was the road to ruin, and he was starting at the end. 

The Z-95 flooded with water, and as it sank into the swamp, it felt like all hope was lost.


	38. Chapter 38

_“You must unlearn what you have learned.” - Yoda, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“I can’t swim!” Mikey screamed as cold water started to soak into his boots. As water and mud kept on rushing into the Z-95, he panicked, terrified that death was coming for him. He thought of his happiest memory - the time Gerard took him to see his favorite band when he was a kid - and he closed his eyes, certain that all three of them were going down to the ship.

“Relax, Mikey,” Pete said, strangely unfazed by all of the water gushing into the Z-95.

“But there’s still water coming, and there could be sharks…” 

“It’s a swamp, not an ocean. We can stand in this.” 

Pete waded toward the door, and he propped it open. Mikey and Patrick followed him as he left the ship and climbed out of the swamp. The amount of water still made Mikey nervous, but Pete was right. It was shallow enough that he could walk to shore. 

All three of them were dripping wet when they made it out, and their ship was wrecked, but at least they were alive. “Is my eyeliner running?” Pete asked as he turned toward Patrick and Mikey, his face smeared with black makeup. 

“Maybe a little,” Patrick said. 

“Maybe a lot,” Mikey said. 

“I should fix that,” Pete said, pulling out an eyeliner pen. 

“We should find Yoda first,” Patrick said. “That’s what we’re here for, after all.” 

“But my eyeliner…” 

“Yoda won’t care if your eyeliner’s running.”

“Do you care?” 

Patrick kissed Pete’s cheek and then said, “You’re always beautiful, Pete. Even when your makeup’s running.” 

Mikey rolled his eyes. He liked hanging out with Pete and Patrick, but they could be just as sickening as Frank and Gerard sometimes. “Come on, guys,” he said. “Let’s go find Yoda.” 

Mikey wandered through the trees, and Pete and Patrick followed him. However, he soon realized that he had no idea where he was going. “Hey, do you know where on Dagobah Yoda is supposed to be?” he asked.

“No idea,” Patrick said. 

“He might not even be on this planet,” Pete said. “Obi-Wan just said he was in the Dagobah system.” 

“Unless Yoda can somehow survive on a planet with seven hundred degree heat and a toxic atmosphere, I’m pretty sure he’s here,” Patrick said. 

“I don’t know. If anyone can do it, Yoda can.” 

“This Yoda guy must be pretty incredible,” Mikey said. 

“He used to be the Grandmaster,” Patrick said. “He taught all of us how to use the Force, and he’s gotten me through some tough times.” 

“And he’s almost 900 years old!” Pete exclaimed.

“His species is very long-lived,” Patrick said. 

“That’s neat,” Mikey said as he looked around at their surroundings. There were trees and vines everywhere, and Mikey constantly found himself stepping into puddles, as if his feet weren’t wet enough already. The wildlife was interesting though - he’d already spotted some insects and slugs, along with a massive, black bird. His most exciting find, however, was a green creature with wrinkled skin and huge ears waiting in the distance. He stepped toward the creature, hoping to get a closer look. 

“Mikey, where are you going?” Patrick asked. 

“I saw a neat-looking swamp creature over there,” Mikey said. 

“We’re supposed to be looking for Yoda,” Patrick said, rolling his eyes. 

“I don’t know,” Pete said. “I think we can go check out the swamp creature. I’m sure he won’t mind.” 

Mikey stepped closer until he was only a few feet away from the creature. It was sitting on a log, completely motionless, and its eyes were squeezed shut. “Hi there,” he said as he crouched down to its level. However, when he turned back to his friends, Patrick was rolling his eyes, and Pete was stifling a laugh. It was as if the two of them were giggling over an inside joke, and Mikey was out of the loop. 

“Yeah, it’s nice to meet you, Mikey’s little swamp monster,” Pete said to the creature, still trying not to laugh. 

“I’m sorry about them, Master Yoda,” Patrick said. “Mikey doesn’t know better, and Pete’s….well, Pete.” 

“Wait a second,” Mikey said. “That’s Yoda? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Yoda’s eyes snapped open. “Interrupting my meditation, you are,” he said. 

“I’m so, so sorry…” Patrick said. 

“Come to me, why have you?” Yoda asked. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi sent us,” Patrick said. “He thinks that you might be able to help us complete our training and become Jedi Knights.” 

Yoda stayed silent for a long time and then said, “Uncertain, the future of the Jedi Order is. Meaningless, its ranks are now. But to teach you, to pass on my wisdom, to connect you with the Force for its own sake...that I can do.” He paused again and then asked, “Who is the boy?” 

“That’s Mikey,” Patrick said. “He’s strong with the Force, but he hasn’t been properly trained.”

“Obi-Wan said you might be able to teach him too,” Pete said. 

Yoda thought about it and then said, “Teach him, I can, but only if he will learn.” 

“I can learn!” Mikey exclaimed. 

“That simple, it is not,” Yoda said. “You are nearly grown, nearly set in your ways. More susceptible to the dark side, you are. To become a Jedi, open-minded like a child, you must be. Believe in my teachings, believe in the Force, believe in yourself, you must. Possible, it is, even for someone of your age, but the path of the Jedi is not an easy one.” 

Mikey nodded. He knew exactly what Yoda was talking about. Just a few months ago, he was certain that the Force didn’t exist, that it was all just a story from his brother’s comic books. Even after he’d used his powers to lift up the Black Mariah and save Laura’s life, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it was real. Now, he was on his way to becoming a Jedi, but he still had a lot to learn. 

“Come with me,” Yoda said. “A home, I have made on this planet.” 

Yoda started walking, and Pete, Mikey, and Patrick followed him. “I can’t believe Yoda decided to come here, of all places,” Pete said. “Couldn’t he hide from the Empire on a beach resort planet or something?” 

“Hear you, I can,” Yoda said. 

“Yoda, I’m so sorry about him…” Patrick said.

“A sense of humor, young Peter has, and a wonderful trait that is indeed,” Yoda said. “Learn much from him, you could.” 

Patrick immediately went silent, and the four of them waded through the swamps of Dagobah until they reached a small makeshift hut. Pete, Mikey, and Patrick ducked inside - all of them managed to get into the hut, but it was a tight fit. Mikey had to crouch to keep himself from banging his head on the low ceiling. 

“Hey Yoda, do you know if there’s anywhere we can order blue milk pizza?” Pete asked. 

Yoda laughed and then said, “On Utapau, the nearest pizza is.” 

Pete shuddered. “No way,” he said. “I almost died there. I’m not going back.” 

“Then stew, we shall eat, instead of pizza,” Yoda said. 

He handed each of them a bowl of stew, and Mikey slowly ate from it. He had no idea what was in it, and he didn’t think he wanted to know, but it was surprisingly tasty. As they ate, the four of them shared stories about their adventures over the past few months. 

“Made friends with my neighbors, I have,” Yoda said. 

“Neighbors?” Mikey said, confused.

“Lizards, snakes, bugs, rats,” Yoda said. “All part of the Force, they are.”

“Of course,” Patrick said, while Pete and Mikey looked disgusted. “The Force encompasses all living things, so we should love them all equally.” 

Yoda nodded. “Strong, the Force is here,” he said. “Look closely, and you can see it. Listen, and you can hear it. Open your mind, and you can feel the Force flowing through us.”

Mikey was sure Yoda was going insane, and he thought about whispering that to Pete, but he thought better of it. Crazy or not, Yoda was his new teacher, and Pete and Patrick both seemed to trust him. Maybe there was a method to his madness. 

There was a brief silence, and then Yoda turned to Patrick. “Changed, you have,” he said. “Stronger, wiser, more in touch with the Force, you have become. Much growth, I sense in you.” 

“Thank you, Master Yoda,” Patrick said. 

“Faced the dark side, have you?” Yoda asked. 

“Well, I fought one of the Inquisitors a couple of times, and I duelled against Darth Vader once,” Patrick said. “That’s how I lost my hand.” 

Patrick showed Yoda his robotic hand, and Yoda remarked, “As good as new, that looks!” He paused and then added, “A powerful Jedi, Vader was, much like you, Patrick. Supposed to bring balance to the Force, he was. But become like him, you will not. Always devoted to the light side of the Force, you are.” 

Patrick smiled, and Yoda continued on. “Much to learn, you still have, but teach you, I cannot. Let the Force guide you, and guide others on their path toward the light. Change the galaxy, but only for the better. Pass on what you have learned. A Jedi Knight, you are now. Find your own way, you must.”

Patrick was shocked. “You’re...you’re making me a Jedi Knight?” he said. 

“Meaningless, the ranks of the Jedi Order are now,” Yoda said. “But ready for knighthood, you are.” 

“I don’t know what to say,” Patrick said, still in shock. “Thank you.” 

“What about me?” Pete asked. 

“Pete,” Yoda said. “Courageous, you are. Strong, you are. Honest, you are. Confident, you are. Witty, you are. Compassionate, you are. Everything a Jedi should be, you are. But ready, you are not, and ready, you will never be. This, you already know. Your whole life, you have known. A Jedi Knight, you will not become.” 

Mikey couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but Pete didn’t seem surprised at all. He simply nodded, as if Yoda hadn’t said anything he didn’t already know. 

Yoda then turned to Mikey. “Right, your friends were,” he said. “Strong with the Force, you are, but guidance, you need. Come with me.” 

“Right now?” Mikey said. 

“Ready to start your training, you are!” Yoda said. 

Mikey slurped down the rest of his stew and then asked Yoda, “What are we going to do first?” 

“Very messy, the floor is,” Yoda said. “Sweep it, you will.” 

Mikey had no idea what sweeping had to do with being a Jedi, but he trusted his new mentor. He figured there was a valuable lesson hidden within this seemingly menial task, so he picked up a broom and swept the floor as asked, wondering when he’d get to wield a lightsaber again. 

By the time Mikey was done, Pete and Patrick were gone, wandering through the swamp together. He turned to Yoda, sure that he was going to make him practice lightsaber combat or lifting rocks with the Force, but instead, he handed him a bucket and said, “More water, I need. Go to the lagoon and bring it to me.” 

Mikey again did as he was told, but after hours and hours of manual labor, he started to wonder what the point of it all was. His jacket was covered in mud, his limbs ached, and he felt like he might collapse at any moment. What was it all for?

“Much wood I have for you to chop,” Yoda said to him. 

“Yoda, why am I doing all of this?” Mikey asked. “It feels like I’m just doing your chores for you.” 

Yoda laughed and said, “Doing my chores for me, you are!” 

“But why?” 

“Being a Jedi is about noticing the little things. Being in tune with the world around you. Living in harmony with the Force. Seeing the galaxy as it is, not how you would like it to be. Passed an important test, you have. Noticed what I was doing, you did. But much to learn, you still have.” 

Mikey nodded. There were still a million things he didn’t understand, a million questions buzzing through his head, but instead of worrying about how his brother was doing or why Yoda hadn’t made Pete a Jedi Knight or what the method to his madness was exactly, he cleared his mind and felt the energy flowing through him, through his friends, through every living thing in the galaxy. If there were answers out there, he knew he’d find them through the Force.


	39. Chapter 39

_"There’s good and bad in everything.” - Alleni Thenaa, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Now that he had his coffee, Gerard was happy, and because of that, Frank was too. As they walked through Mos Eisley spaceport together, Gerard sipped on his coffee, while Frank kept an eye out for Jawas and Tusken Raiders, his blaster ready just in case he had to fight. Mos Eisley was a wretched hive of scum and villainy, which was to say it was Frank’s kind of place. He just didn’t want his boyfriend to get hurt. 

With his jacket and his hot coffee, Gerard was sweltering in the heat, but he was smiling anyways, and his cheerfulness was rubbing off on Frank. As he walked closer to Gerard, he thought about just how lucky he was to be alive, to be here, to be able to call this amazing man his boyfriend. He glanced toward the twin suns, but even a binary sunset couldn’t compare to Gerard and his endless beauty. 

“Where do you think we’ll go next?” Frank asked Gerard.

“I don’t know,” Gerard said as Frank glared at an alien on the other side of the street, one hand on his blaster. “Do you think you’ll go back to being Fun Ghoul?” 

A few weeks ago, the answer would have been obvious, but now, he wasn’t so sure. “Depends,” Frank said. “How long do you think you’ll stick around?” 

“I’m not going leave you, Frankie,” Gerard said. “I love you too much for that.” 

“I love you too,” Frank said, smiling. For a moment, he thought about his future, a future with Gerard always by his side. He’d always be a punk from the Outer Rim, just like Gerard would always be a comic book geek with a coffee addiction, but maybe he didn’t have to be an outlaw. Maybe with Gerard’s help, he could channel his aggression, his willpower, his defiance into something greater.

Once they were out of the spaceport and into the desert, Frank said, “I don’t think I’m going to go back to being a criminal. I want to rebel, but I’ve learned there are better ways to do that than smuggling spice and breaking into vaults.”

“So you’re going to stay with the Truwel Rebellion?” 

“I think so, but who knows? Maybe I’ll quit this all and start a punk band.” 

“I bet you’d be good at that.” 

“Or I could be an artist like you.”

“You’d be good at that too.” 

“No, I wouldn’t. Remember when I tried to draw you? It looked like a blob with a face on it.” 

“It was absolutely incredible.” 

“You’re just saying that.” 

All of a sudden, the two of them ran into Joe, Hayley, and Ray. They were all gathered around the Horseshoe Crab, in the midst of a conversation. 

“There you guys are,” Ray said when he spotted Frank and Gerard. 

“We’re discussing what to do now that we’ve saved Tatooine,” Hayley explained. 

“We could all split up and start rock bands,” Frank suggested. 

“No, that’s a terrible idea,” Hayley said. 

“Or we could stay here and drink coffee forever,” Gerard said. 

“Actually, we were talking about that,” Ray said. 

“Not the coffee part,” Hayley clarified, much to Gerard’s disappointment. “Tatooine’s probably safe for now - it’s not strategically important enough for the Empire to try to invade a second time - so we could stay here for a while. It won’t work well as a permanent base though.” 

“I don’t think there’s anywhere better though,” Joe said. 

“I agree,” Gerard said as he sipped his coffee. “The Empire’s even taken over parts of the Unknown Regions. Tatooine’s probably one of the few planets that’s safe right now. We might as well stay for a while.”

“We’ll still need a permanent base eventually,” Hayley said. “Some place where the Empire will never find us.” 

“There is Wild Space,” Ray suggested. “No one’s ever mapped it, but there have to be some habitable planets in the region.” 

“That’s not a bad idea,” Hayley said. “We could send someone to map the region, while the rest of us stay on Tatooine. Once we find a suitable planet, we’ll move there. The only question is who we’ll send.” 

“I volunteer,” Frank and Gerard said simultaneously. 

Frank then laughed and said, “Gee, I’m not letting you fly out into Wild Space by yourself.”

“That’s fine,” Gerard said. “It’ll be more fun with you there anyways.” 

Hayley thought about it and then said, “Actually, that could work. Frank’s a great pilot, and Gerard has the art skills to map out all of the systems for us.”

“Yeah, but what if something goes wrong here?” Ray asked. “We won’t have two of our best fighters.” 

“I think we can handle ourselves,” Joe said, and Hayley agreed. 

“When are you two planning to leave?” she asked Frank and Gerard. 

“As soon as I get more coffee,” Gerard said as he started walking back toward Mos Eisley. 

Frank followed him to the coffee shop as he thought about Wild Space and what he and Gerard would do when they got out there. It seemed like a perfect opportunity - a chance to be alone together with Gerard, a chance to start over. Gerard, however, seemed a little more nervous. 

“Is everything alright?” Frank asked him. 

“I’m okay. Trust me,” Gerard said, but Frank wasn’t sure if he did. Nevertheless, Gerard walked back into the shop, ordered what seemed like enough coffee to last him a year, and then headed toward the Black Mariah. As soon as they were both aboard, Frank took control of the ship and launched it into space, while Gerard sipped on his coffee, still looking a bit anxious. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Frank asked as the Black Mariah entered Tatooine’s upper atmosphere. 

“I don’t know,” Gerard said. “I kind of have a bad feeling about this, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe everything’s going to be okay.” 

Frank gazed into his hazel eyes, took his hand, and said, “You’ll be fine. I’ll keep you safe.” 

Gerard smiled and snuggled closer to Frank, and as the ship left the Tatoo system and headed into hyperspace, Frank felt safe, secure, and loved in his boyfriend’s arms. Even if Gerard was right, even if this all went wrong, at least they’d be together. 

For a while, it seemed like the trip into Wild Space would be fine, if a bit uneventful. They made it to the end of the Corellian Run without any issues, and as they flew toward the edge of the galaxy, Frank passed the time by reading, telling Gerard about his many exploits, and watching him sketch every comic book character he could think of, although most of time, Frank paid more attention to Gerard’s beautiful face than to what he was drawing. Even after weeks of flying across the galaxy and fighting for the Truwel Rebellion, Gerard was still the prettiest boy he’d ever seen, and Frank relished every moment he spent with him. 

Once they made it past Smuggler’s Run, dodging asteroids as they flew by, Gerard started mapping out the area. He tore out a few pages from his sketchbook, and he drew beautiful, detailed maps of each system. Sometimes, he got a bit carried away, adding in fancy artistic designs and superheroes flying around, but Frank made sure he kept things realistic. After all, they were here to find a base for the Truwel Rebellion, and he didn’t want the others to get the wrong idea about what they’d found. So far, they hadn’t found any inhabitable planets beyond the asteroid belt, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. 

After a few days of circling around and not finding any habitable planets, Frank said, “Maybe we should head back toward Smuggler’s Run. We might have more luck on the other side of the asteroid belt.” 

“Sounds good,” Gerard said as he taped his latest map next to the dashboard. As always, it was amazing. Frank knew Gerard’s passion was writing comic books, but he wondered if he might have a future in cartography. 

Frank steered the Black Mariah back toward Smuggler's Run, but as he came closer, he saw there was another ship waiting for him. “I wonder what they’re doing here,” Gerard said as he looked out the window. 

“I don’t intend to find out,” Frank said. He sped up the TIE fighter and swerved away from the mysterious ship, but it only chased after them. Soon, there were dozens of ships flying after the Black Mariah, and no matter how fast he went, Frank couldn’t seem to outrun them. 

“What are we going to do?” Gerard asked, panicked. 

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. “I’ve got this.” 

The Black Mariah was already going at full speed, and Frank turned toward the asteroid field, hoping that he could get rid of the ships that were tailing him. He veered past asteroid after asteroid, and Gerard held onto Frank’s hand for dear life as they tried to escape. 

All of a sudden, an asteroid seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and at this speed, there was no way they could avoid it. Frank tried to slow the ship down, but it was too late. The Black Mariah crashed right into it. 

Thankfully, the ship itself was mostly intact, but the mysterious ships converged around the Black Mariah until Frank and Gerard were completely surrounded. Gerard looked toward Frank, wondering what they were going to do now, while Frank grabbed his blaster, ready to defend the ship. 

He heard a loud thud, followed by footsteps. Just as Gerard was about to run in to see what was going on, a Nautolan bounty hunter walked into the cockpit, followed by a huge group of fellow mercenaries. She had one blaster in each hand, one pointed at Gerard, and the other at Frank. 

“Fun Ghoul,” she said. “At last, I’ve tracked you down.” 

Frank sighed. “Not again,” he said.


	40. Chapter 40

_“Everyone has their secrets, things that they’ve never told another living soul. You can never know the dreams, the struggles, the private battles going on in someone else’s head.” - Riev Jobl, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters ___

__While Mikey was with Yoda, learning how to use his Force powers, Patrick and Pete waded through the swamp, hoping to finally get some time alone together. As Pete whined about nothing and everything all at once, Patrick thought about what Yoda had said to him. He was a Jedi Knight now, a guardian of peace and justice. He should have been thrilled - knighthood was all he’d ever wanted, after all - but he was still disenchanted. Maybe it was because there were so few Jedi left. He couldn’t be happy about becoming a Jedi Knight when he was the last of a dying breed._ _

__He looked to Pete, who was still rambling about some old hologram he’d seen. _A Jedi Knight, you will not become._ Why had Yoda said that to him? Pete had his faults, but it wasn’t anything that would stop him from becoming a Jedi. If Patrick was in charge, Pete would be the first person he’d knight. _ _

__“Anyways, my point is that I’ve always wanted to have a secret handshake,” Pete said just as Patrick snapped back into reality._ _

__“We could have one,” Patrick said._ _

__Pete thought about it, and then said, “We could, but I think I have a better idea.” He paused and then asked, “Do you want to feel a little beautiful, baby?”_ _

__Patrick nodded, and Pete leaned in close and gave him a long, passionate kiss, leaving both of them breathless. As Pete left a trail of kisses down his neck, Patrick forgot about knighthood for a while. All he could think of was the gorgeous boy in front of him._ _

__“Are we even allowed to do this?” Pete mumbled. “You know, now that you’re a Jedi Knight?”_ _

__“I don’t care,” Patrick said. “I don’t think it’s wrong to love you, but even if it is, even if it makes me more likely to fall to the dark side, I love you anyways. Nothing can change that.”_ _

__“I love you too, Trick,” Pete said._ _

__Patrick smiled and then said, “You know, Yoda should have made you a Jedi Knight too. I think you deserve it.”_ _

__“No, I don’t,” Pete said as he backed away from Patrick._ _

__“Yes, you do,” Patrick said. He wrapped his arms around Pete and then asked him, “Do I need to sing to you again? Something like, ‘Pete, you’re cute and super smart and you definitely deserve to be a Jedi?’”_ _

__“That song title is way too short,” Pete said, but he did smile slightly._ _

__“Pete, Yoda should have made you a Jedi…” Patrick sang, but Pete interrupted him._ _

__“You don’t understand, Patrick,” Pete said._ _

__“What don’t I understand?” Patrick asked, but Pete didn’t answer. “Come on, Pete. You can tell me anything.”_ _

__“Anything? Are you sure?”_ _

__“I’m sure.”_ _

__“Even if you’ll hate me for it?”_ _

__“Pete, no matter what you say, I won’t hate you.”_ _

__Pete stayed silent for a while and then said, “I looked myself up in the Archives when I was a Youngling, just like you did, and I...I was never supposed to be a Jedi at all. Qui-Gon Jinn was sent to Ajan Kloss to collect another child, but his parents didn’t want to give him up, and my parents...they couldn’t handle another mouth to feed. So they switched us. Qui-Gon took me to Coruscant in his place, and the other child, the one who was destined to be a Jedi, got to stay on Ajan Kloss.”_ _

__“Yoda figured out what had happened, of course, but he let me stay in the Jedi Temple. I had nowhere else to go, after all. He figured that I could train with the Younglings, and once I was old enough, I could work in the Archives or the Service Corps. Qui-Gon died a few years later, so soon, Yoda was the only one who knew my secret. Out of everyone in the Jedi Order, he was the only one who knew that I wasn’t Force-sensitive.”_ _

__“I wasn’t even supposed to become a Padawan, but when the war broke out, they needed more Jedi, and even without a connection to the Force, I did well enough in the Initiate Trials to train with Master Dystrala. I wasn’t supposed to progress any further though. I...I’m not like you and Mikey. I can’t move objects with my mind or see into the future or wield a lightsaber properly. No matter what I’ll do, I’ll never be a Jedi Knight.”_ _

__All Patrick could say was, “Holy smokes.”_ _

__He’d spent all this time with Pete, and he never would have suspected that he wasn’t Force-sensitive. He wondered what it was like, never being able to connect with the Force, never feeling its presence. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for him to fake his way through Jedi training, knowing that it would never go anywhere, knowing that he could never become one of them._ _

__“You...you don’t hate me, do you?” Pete said._ _

__“Why would I hate you?” Patrick asked._ _

__“I’ve lied to everyone for years. For my whole life, I pretended to be someone I wasn’t. I let you think that I had Force powers, even though I didn’t. I kept all of this to myself, and I know I should have told you sooner, but…”_ _

__“Pete, I don’t care about any of that. I don’t care that you’re not Force-sensitive, and I don’t care that you lied to me about it before. You’re telling the truth now, and that’s what counts.”_ _

__“But…”_ _

__“No buts,” Patrick said. “I love you for who you are, and if you’re not a Force user, then I love you because of that. This doesn’t change anything.”_ _

__“But I lied to you. I went against everything the Jedi stand for, everything you stand for. I ruined it all, and I can’t even use the Force like you and Mikey. I suck!”_ _

__“No one sucks like you suck.”_ _

__Pete raised an eyebrow. “Well, Patty Boy, if you want to know for sure…”_ _

__“Get your mind out of the gutter,” Patrick said, rolling his eyes. “Pete, you’re an amazing guy, and the amount of times you’ve managed to save the galaxy, all without using the Force...it’s incredible. Don’t ever think that you’re not special or that you can’t do anything just because you’re not Force-sensitive. Because you’re a champion, and you don’t need a rank or a title to tell you that.”_ _

__Pete smiled, just a little bit. “How did I get lucky enough to end up with someone like you?” he asked._ _

__“I could ask you the same question,” Patrick said as he kissed his boyfriend’s cheek._ _

__Pete smiled wider and then asked, “Can you do me a favor?”_ _

__“Of course,” Patrick said._ _

__“Don’t tell any of this to anyone else,” Pete said. “Especially not Mikey. I don’t know what would happen to our friendship if he knew that I’m not a Force user.”_ _

__“I understand,” Patrick said, even though he wasn’t sure if he agreed with Pete’s logic. Mikey probably wouldn’t care that Pete wasn’t Force-sensitive, and Patrick didn’t want Pete to hide an essential part of himself from everyone else, but nevertheless, he’d keep his secret._ _

__“Trick, you don’t even know how many times you’ve saved my life,” Pete said as he walked across a creek, carefully stepping on the rocks to avoid the water. “I think you save me a little bit more every day.”_ _

__Patrick blushed, thinking of how many times Pete had saved him. If it wasn’t for Pete, he would have died in the Jedi Temple or in Brendon’s Star Destroyer. Patrick could hardly believe that Pete had done it all without a connection to the Force. In a way, he was stronger than anyone had ever realized._ _

__The two of them circled back to Yoda’s hut, where Yoda was helping Mikey practice using the Force. “How’s training going?” Patrick asked the two of them._ _

__“Very good,” Yoda said. “Much progress, young Mikey is making.”_ _

__“I’m exhausted,” Mikey complained. “Jedi training wasn’t this hard in Gerard’s comic books.”_ _

__“Patience and endurance, you still must learn,” Yoda said. He paused and then asked, “Who is this Gerard? You speak of him often.”_ _

__“He’s my brother,” Mikey explained. “He’s obsessed with all of these comic books about the Clone Wars, and he would probably be a lot better at all of this Jedi stuff than I am.”_ _

__“More than comic book heroes, the Jedi are,” Yoda said. “Glory and adventure, we do not seek, but the ways of the Force, we must understand.”_ _

__Patrick saw Pete turn pale when Yoda mentioned the Force, but Mikey didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he seemed lost in thought as he stared into the distance._ _

__“There...there’s a disturbance in the Force,” Mikey said._ _

__“That’s weird,” Patrick said. “I don’t feel it.”_ _

__“It’s Gerard,” Mikey said. “I think...I think he’s in trouble.”_ _


	41. Chapter 41

_“In the face of adversity, we must act with motive and purpose.” - Zhad’vida, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

Frank immediately pulled out his blaster, and to his surprise, Gerard did the same. They quickly glanced at each other, and in an instant, they both charged toward Dali and her gang. Frank was sure he could take care of the bounty hunter - after all, he’d beaten her in a fight before. He could do it again. 

Dali shot first, her blaster bolt sailing right past Gerard’s head. As soon as she fired, Frank ran in front of Gerard and shot two of Dali’s fellow bounty hunters, and he was about to take down a third when Dali turned toward Frank and pointed her blaster at his head. 

“Is that your little boyfriend, Fun Ghoul?” she said as she pointed her other blaster toward Gerard. “No wonder you were so protective of him last time we met.” 

“None of your business,” Frank said as he aimed his blaster in Dali’s direction. He fired, but he missed, his blaster bolt striking one of Dali’s associates in the chest. He was about to pull the trigger again when even more bounty hunters rushed into the ship. They ran in far faster than Frank could shoot them, and even as he fired again and again, they kept on coming closer. Soon, Frank and Gerard were surrounded. 

Of course, they weren’t going down without a fight. 

They were back to back, with Frank mowing down their enemies while Gerard carefully aimed and fired his blaster. As the bounty hunters tried to shoot them down, Frank was quick and aggressive, constantly defending Gerard and gunning down the bounty hunters at the same time. Neither of them had taken out Dali yet, but it felt like it was only a matter of time. Slowly but surely, they turned the tides of the battle, and every shot felt like another step closer to victory. 

Between the two of them, they managed to kill about half of Dali’s mercenaries, but it wasn’t enough. There were still far too many bounty hunters rushing toward them, armed with massive blaster rifles. Frank was scared that he wouldn’t be able to get them all, but he was even more scared that one of them might kill Gerard. He wanted this all to be over, but it was far too late to negotiate now. It was a fight to the death. 

Dali took a step closer, and Frank seized the opportunity. He pointed his blaster at her, and he was about to squeeze the trigger, but Dali was too fast. Before Frank could do anything, she shot him in the leg, and he immediately fell onto the ground, completely defenseless. 

“FRANK!” Gerard shouted as he rushed over to his boyfriend. As Frank screamed, blood gushing out of his injured leg, Gerard panicked. He couldn’t lose Frank, not like this. He was the only hope for him, and now, he was on the floor of the Black Mariah, wincing in pain as the bounty hunters closed in. 

Dali was within point-blank range as she went in for the kill. As she aimed her blaster directly at Frank’s head, Gerard knew what he had to do. He reached backward for his sketchbook, grabbed it, and slammed it over Dali’s head. 

As it turned out, it was just enough of a distraction to buy Frank more time. He reached for his blaster and shot Dali in the head, and as she fell onto the ground next to Frank, the other bounty hunters began to retreat. At last, the two of them had won. 

“Are you okay?” Gerard asked Frank as soon as the bounty hunters were gone. 

“Of course not. It...it hurts a lot.” 

Gerard quickly kissed him and then said, “Stay strong for me, okay Frank? You can make it through this.” 

Gerard left the room and came back with some gauze, which he carefully wrapped around Frank’s leg to stop the bleeding. “I’m sure the med droids will give you something better once we get back to civilization, but it will do for now,” he said.

“Thanks, Gee.”

“You’re welcome. We should probably head back to Tatooine though. It’s still the backwoods of the galaxy, but they at least have a hospital there…” 

“No way,” Frank said. 

“Frank, I’m serious. You need to get that treated.” 

“Not before we find a new base.” 

“That’s not important right now.” 

“Yes, it is! It’s the whole reason the Rebellion sent us out here!” 

“What if your leg gets infected or something?” 

“I don’t care. We still can’t go back to Tatooine until we’ve found a planet where the Truwel Rebellion can safely operate.” 

Gerard sighed and said, “I admire your determination, Frank, even if it is going to kill you one of these days. Can you even fly the ship right now?” 

Frank tried to stand up, but he was only able to move his leg slightly before the pain became too much to bear. “No,” he said, wincing. “But I could teach you.” 

Gerard walked over to the controls and sat down in the captain’s chair, but he had no clue what to do. There were so many knobs, levers, and buttons, and he had no clue what any of them. He glanced out the window for a second and then turned back to Frank. 

“Uhh...Frankie?” Gerard said. “There’s a bit of a problem.” 

“What?” Frank said. 

“We’re still surrounded by enemy ships.” 

Frank looked out the window as well, and he saw exactly what Gerard meant. The bounty hunters were still everywhere - there was no way to get past them. “The controls for the laser cannons are on the left side of the panel,” he explained to Gerard, who immediately reached to the right. “Your other left!” Frank exclaimed. 

“Sorry,” Gerard said sheepishly. “So what do I do?” 

“Use the lever to aim, and the button to fire.” 

“But there’s two levers…” 

“One’s for the left side of the ship, and the other’s for the right side.” 

“This is so confusing,” Gerard said as he fired, the ship’s blaster bolt sailing right between two ships. “How do you keep it all straight?” 

“Practice, mostly,” Frank said. “Then again, the TIE fighter controls are actually pretty intuitive. You should try flying a Nebulon-B. Those things are impossible.” 

“Frank, they’re firing at me!” Gerard exclaimed. “What do I do?” 

“We already have all of our shields activated. Your best bet at this point is to fly away.” 

“And how do I do that?” 

“At the center of the panel, there’s a lever to steer and a knob to control your speed. Use those.” 

Gerard grabbed onto a lever, but Frank immediately shouted, “No! Not that one! The other one!” 

“You’ve got to be a little more specific, Frank,” Gerard said as he grabbed onto the correct lever and steered the ship upwards. Then, he suddenly sped up the ship and swerved toward a nearby planet. 

“Hey, maybe that planet’s habitable,” Frank said as he looked out the window. 

“I doubt it,” Gerard said. “It’s too far away from the star it’s orbiting.” 

Gerard kept on piloting the Black Mariah, and for his first time flying a ship, Frank thought he was doing a pretty good job. The bounty hunters were still chasing after them, firing their laser cannons in their direction, but at full speed, the Black Mariah could outrun them. They were sure they could win. 

“Hey, there’s another planet over there,” Frank said. “You should add it to your map.” 

Gerard pulled out his sketchbook, tore out a page, and started drawing, but all of a sudden, a light started blinking on the dashboard. “What does that mean?” he asked. 

“We’re running low on hypermatter,” Frank said. “If we run out, we won’t be able to make it back to Tatooine, but we should be okay for at least another few days. You can click the button next to the speed knob to turn it off.” 

Gerard clicked a button, and Frank shouted, “No! We’re doomed!” 

“What did I do?” 

“You just turned off all of our shields!”

“Sorry about that. How do I turn them back on again?” 

Frank was about to say something, but it was too late. One of the bounty hunters’ ships shot the Black Mariah, sending it spinning toward the planet they’d just passed. 

“Come on, Gerard,” Frank said. “Stay in control.” 

Gerard did his best, but in the end, there was nothing he could do. They were going to crash, no matter how hard he tried to maintain control of the ship. Frank was right. They were doomed. 

As the Black Mariah fell out of the sky, Gerard held onto Frank, hoping that they would at least survive the impact. They were far too young to die, but he knew that wouldn’t change anything. The galaxy was a wicked place. All the time, good guys died, and bad guys won. 

Gerard held Frank tighter, desperately hoping that somehow, that wouldn’t happen to them.


	42. Chapter 42

_“In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” - Douglas Adams, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“We need to go save Frank and Gerard,” Mikey insisted. “Now, if we can.” 

Patrick wasn’t so sure - it felt like the three of them had just gotten there. He hadn’t seen Yoda in forever, and given everything that was going on in the galaxy, he wasn’t sure when they’d ever get a chance to meet again. He wanted to help his friends, but at the same time, he didn’t think it was time to leave Dagobah just yet. 

Clearly, Pete agreed with him. “They’ll be fine,” he said. “If anyone can hold their own in a fight, it’s Frank Iero.” 

“But what about Gerard?” Mikey said. 

“He’s with Frank. He’ll be okay,” Pete said. “Besides, they’re on Tatooine. There’s practically nothing there. How much trouble could they really get into?” 

“Mos Eisley’s kind of a rough area,” Patrick noted. 

“There are worse places,” Pete said. 

“Have you even been to Tatooine?” 

“Yeah, we were just there.” 

“We were in orbit. That doesn’t count.”

“They’re not on Tatooine,” Mikey said. 

“Then where are they?” Pete asked. 

Mikey closed his eyes for a moment, trying to connect with the Force. “I don’t know,” he said. “Somewhere far away, beyond the Outer Rim…” 

“So they’re either in the Unknown Regions or Wild Space,” Patrick said. “Why would they go there? There isn’t much in the Unknown Regions, and Wild Space hasn’t even been mapped yet...” 

Mikey opened his eyes and said, “I don’t know either. All I know is that they’re in grave danger.” 

“Ready to face this danger, you are not,” Yoda said. 

Mikey was about to say something, but Pete said, “Yoda has a point, and as I said before, they’ll probably be fine. Besides, our ship’s still in the swamp.” 

Mikey raised his hand, and all of a sudden, the Z-95 flew out of the swamp and hovered in the air. “No, it’s not,” he said. 

“The stabilizer’s still broken though.” 

“I can fix that. The stabilizer on the Black Mariah broke a while back, and I watched Laura repair it. It’s not that hard.” He set the ship down next to Yoda’s hut, and he stepped aboard, searching for the tools to fix the stabilizer. 

“At least let me help,” Pete said as he followed Mikey into the ship. 

“You’re just going to stand there and make bad puns, aren’t you?” 

“It’s the whole reason we Wentz over here, isn’t it?” 

“That one doesn’t even make sense.”

“Sure it does!” 

Patrick rolled his eyes as Pete and Mikey continued to banter with each other. As he sat on a log, watching them attempt to repair the Z-95, Yoda sat down next to him. 

“Troubled, you look,” Yoda said to him. “What is on your mind?” 

“I don’t know,” Patrick said. “There’s just a lot going on right now.” There was a brief moment of silence, and then Patrick asked, “How do normal people do it? How do they live in harmony with the Force when they can’t even feel it?” 

“Tell you, did he?” Yoda asked, and Patrick nodded. “Many years, Pete has kept that secret, but good friends, you are. Trust you greatly, he must.”

Patrick nodded again, and for a moment, he considered telling Yoda everything. He wanted him to know how happy Pete made him, how their relationship had brought him closer to the light side rather than the dark, but he was terrified of how he’d react. All his life, Yoda was the one who had told him to suppress his emotions, to never get attached to anything or anyone. There was no way he would approve of his relationship with Pete. 

“There’s just so much that’s happened,” Patrick said. “Pete told me...you know, why he can’t be a Jedi...and now apparently Frank and Gerard are in trouble, and I wish I could do more to help them, but…”

“Patrick,” Yoda said. “Clear your mind. Too worried, you are. The Force will guide you.” 

Patrick took a few deep breaths and then said, “I want to do more, but I can’t.” 

“Why not?” 

“The Jedi Order is gone, and the Empire’s after all of us. It’s incredible that we’re still alive at all. How am I supposed to help people when the galaxy’s like this?” 

“Be like this forever, it will not.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The Empire will fall,” Yoda said. “A very long time, it will take. Years, it will take. Many years. Of the three of you, only one will live long enough to see it. But the Republic will return. More Jedi, there will be. A new hope, we will find.”

Frankly, Patrick had no idea what Yoda was talking about. To him, the future was a complete mystery, but from where he was, it looked awfully bleak. He couldn’t see where exactly Yoda’s optimism was coming from, where they would ever find this new hope for the galaxy. 

After a long period of silence, Yoda said, “Stop Mikey from going to Wild Space, I must.” 

“Why?” Patrick asked. 

“The dark side is growing, becoming stronger. Of the surviving Jedi, more fall under its influence every day. In power, Darth Vader rises. The root of evil, he is. Destroy Vader, and the Empire will fall.” Yoda paused and then said, “Ready to face the dark side, Mikey is not.”

“But he fought Brendon…” 

“One Inquisitor is not the full might of the Galactic Empire. More time, more training, Mikey needs. Sixteen years you had to learn the ways of the Force before you were ready to become a Jedi Knight. Mikey has not had that luxury.” 

“What about Gerard and Frank? Will they be okay?” 

“Hard to tell, it is. I know them only from the stories Mikey has told me.” 

“You should at least give him a choice, Master Yoda. If he wants to help them, he should have that option, even if that means leaving Dagobah.” 

Yoda thought about it for a while and then said, “Harmed in battle, he could be. Fall to the dark side, he could. Are these risks you will take?” 

Patrick’s gut instinct was to say no, but instead, he said, “I think Mikey’s stronger than you realize. He’ll be okay.” 

“Indeed, very powerful, he is. But a dangerous thing, power is, when one does not know how to use it.” 

Patrick thought about that for a while, letting Yoda’s wise words sink in as he crafted a response. However, before he could say anything, Pete and Mikey returned. 

“I think we fixed the ship!” Pete exclaimed. 

“Or more accurately, _I_ fixed the ship,” Mikey said. “Pete just made things worse by messing with the wiring.” 

“So is this it?” Patrick asked. “Are we leaving?” 

“Mikey,” Yoda said. “Ready to leave, you are not. Much more, you have to learn, but important, your friends are. Your choice, it is. Will you leave to rescue them?” 

“I want to, but I...I don’t know if I should,” Mikey said. 

There was a long silence, and then Patrick had an idea. 

“Maybe Pete and I could go,” he suggested. “We’ll head back to Tatooine, and then maybe the rest of the Truwel Rebellion can tell us more about what happened to Frank and Gerard. Once we know that they’re both safe, we can come back to Dagobah.” 

“I like that idea,” Pete said, although Patrick suspected it was only because it meant they’d get more time alone together. 

“Yes, a smart plan, Patrick has created,” Yoda said. 

“I guess that would be okay,” Mikey said. “Just don’t leave me stranded here, okay?” 

“Don’t worry, we won’t,” Patrick said. He walked over to the Z-95, stepped aboard for a moment, and then returned with a holorecorder, which he promptly handed to Mikey. “You can use this to keep in touch with us. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on everything that’s going on.” 

“Come on, Patrick!” Pete exclaimed as he ran onto the ship. “Let’s go save Frank and Gerard!” 

“Okay,” Patrick said as he reluctantly climbed aboard the Z-95 again. He was glad to leave the swamp planet, but he knew he’d miss Yoda. He was one of the few ties he still had to the old Jedi Order, to the way things were before, but more than that, Yoda was a wise mentor and a steadfast friend. He hated to leave him behind. 

“May the Force be with you, Patrick,” Yoda said just as he was about to enter the Z-95. 

“May the Force be with you too, Yoda,” Patrick said with a smile. 

As Pete put his feet up on the dashboard, Patrick ignored him and took control of the ship, setting the course for Tatooine. With any luck, Frank and Gerard would be okay, and they could return to Dagobah sooner rather than later, but Patrick wasn’t so sure that would happen. 

“Hey Trick, do you know where my eyeliner pen went?” Pete asked. 

“It’s next to your book, but could you at least wait until we’re in the air before you start messing around with your makeup?” 

“But makeup makes a guy look…” 

“Beautiful, I know,” Patrick said. “But you’re already beautiful, inside and out.” 

Pete smiled and said, “So are you, Lunchbox.” 

All of a sudden, Mikey walked up to the ship and said, “Hey, are you two going to take off or not?” 

“Don’t worry, we’re leaving,” Patrick said as he launched the ship. 

With that, Pete and Patrick took off, ready for whatever would happen next.


	43. Chapter 43

_“True beauty is not easy to find.” - Zotwatchi, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

When they reached the ground, Gerard slowly untangled himself from Frank and headed toward the door. He couldn’t decide whether he was excited or terrified to see what was out there, what this mysterious planet had to offer. If nothing else, he’d at least have some new information to add to his map of the system. 

“Gerard, what are you doing?” Frank said. “At least check the dashboard first.” 

Gerard glanced toward the dashboard and said, “There’s a blinking green light.” 

“Oh,” Frank said, surprised. “That...that’s good, actually. It means the atmosphere’s breathable, the planet’s gravitational pull isn’t too high or too low, and there aren’t any other ships in the area.” 

“So I can go outside,” Gerard said. 

Gerard grabbed his sketchbook, and he was about to open the door when Frank stumbled to his feet, hobbled over to Gerard, and then collapsed on top of him. He smiled and said, “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Gee.” 

“Why would I want to get rid of you?” Gerard said as he pressed a kiss to Frank’s lips. He helped Frank to his feet and then asked him, “Are you okay though?”

Frank limped toward the door, holding onto Gerard for support the entire time. “Never been better!” he exclaimed. 

“You really should take it easy until your leg gets better,” Gerard said. “I don’t want you to make that injury any worse than it already is.”

“My leg _is_ better,” Frank insisted.

Gerard glanced toward Frank’s leg, and he was no medical expert, but there was still a gaping hole when Dali’s blaster bolt had burned through his flesh. Walking on that leg had to be incredibly painful, but Gerard knew that nothing he could say would stop Frank from running around like he always did. He was too headstrong, but then again, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. 

The two of them left the ship, Frank clinging onto Gerard as he hopped about on his good leg, and all of a sudden, they were greeted with the most beautiful sight. 

There was nothing but a field of wheat, stretching out as far as the eye could see. 

Gerard instantly felt calm, as if all of his worries had just floated away. How lucky were they, to crash land on a planet covered in the most beautiful crop in the galaxy? As he stared out into the distance, waves of tranquility washing through his mind, his eyes felt like they might cry tears of joy, and his heart felt like it might explode at any moment. However, Frank was unimpressed. 

“What a boring planet,” Frank said. “There’s nothing here but wheat.” 

“I think it’s calming,” Gerard said. 

“It’s just wheat,” Frank said. “There’s nothing special about wheat.”

“I beg to differ,” Gerard said as he looked out over the endless stalks of grain. Between the Empire and Frank’s injury and everything else that was going on, he had every reason to panic, but he was in his happy place. He was with his favorite person in the galaxy, standing in a field of wheat. In all his life, he’d never before felt this sense of bliss. 

“Someone must have planted all this wheat,” Frank said. “I wonder…” 

At that very moment, Gerard spotted a figure in the distance. He watched it make its way through the stalks of wheat, and as it came closer, he saw that it was a Wookiee. It continued walking through the field until it stopped right in front of Frank and Gerard and growled. 

“I think she’s trying to talk to us,” Gerard said. “Do you speak Wookiee at all?” 

“You mean Shyriiwook?” Frank said. “Yeah, but it will be easier if she can understand us.” 

“Do you know Basic?” Gerard asked the Wookiee, but she just looked confused. “So much for that,” he said. “Do you have any other ideas?” 

“Uhh...I can try talking to her in Shyriiwook,” Frank said. He screamed something at the top of his lungs, and the Wookiee immediately lunged at Frank, roaring loudly as she tried to grab hold of his arm.

“Frank, what did you do?” Gerard asked as Frank held onto him for dear life. 

“When I said I knew Shyriiwook, I meant that I only know ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘hello,’ and a few dozen swear words, and I might have confused ‘hello’ with one of the nastier curses,” Frank said. “We should probably get out of here before she rips our arms out of sockets.” 

Gerard ran back toward the Black Mariah, and Frank hobbled after him, but the Wookiee was faster than both of them. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before she killed them both. 

Just before they reached the ship, Gerard looked out over the wheat field, and as his worries drifted away once again, he had an idea. 

He took out his sketchbook, and he started to draw. As shapes began to form, as figures emerged from the blank pages, Frank leaned over and asked, “What are you doing?” 

“You’ll see,” Gerard said, but by that point, the picture was clear. It was a rather graphic illustration of the Wookiee ripping Frank’s arm off. 

“Why would you draw that?!” Frank exclaimed just as Gerard drew a huge X over the picture and showed it to the Wookiee. She looked confused, but she did back away from Frank. 

Gerard then sketched out another picture and showed it to the Wookiee. His second drawing was a picture of her shaking hands with him and then with Frank. “Hopefully she’ll get that we come in peace,” Gerard said. 

“It’s weird that she doesn’t know Basic,” Frank said. “Most Wookiees these days understand our language pretty well.” 

Gerard shrugged, but all of a sudden, the Wookiee grabbed onto Gerard’s hand and shook it. She did the same thing with Frank, and then she gestured toward herself and howled. 

“Do you have any idea what she just said?” Gerard asked Frank. 

“I think it’s her name,” Frank said. “Whrurrsoegn.”

“Uhh...okay,” Gerard said. As he wondered how he was ever going to pronounce that, he gestured toward himself and said, “Gerard.” He then pointed toward his boyfriend and said, “Frank.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Frank said to Whrurrsoegn. “And thanks for not ripping my arms out.” 

Gerard turned back to his sketchbook, and he started drawing a comic, one that would explain where they’d come from and where they were going. He started with the day he and Mikey had met Frank, and he drew out everything that had happened since, from meeting Ray, Pete, and Patrick to joining the Truwel Rebellion to falling in love with Frank. The whole time, Frank and Whrurrsoegn watched him, spellbound. Whenever Whrurrsoegn looked confused, Gerard added another panel to explain, but for the most part, she seemed to understand their story. 

After a while, Gerard reached the end of the tale. As he drew the Black Mariah crash landing in a wheat field, Frank said, “You should ask her about putting a rebel base here. This planet seems like it’s pretty safe from the Empire.” 

Gerard immediately added another panel, one with a group of rebels gathered in the wheat field. He added a question mark over the drawing and then looked to Whrurrsoegn, who growled in response. 

“I don’t know what that means,” Frank said. 

When she saw Frank’s confusion, Whrurrsoegn gestured for Gerard and Frank to follow her. She started walking through the wheat field, and Gerard followed her, with Frank hobbling after the two of them. 

“Need any help, Frank?” Gerard asked after they’d been walking for a while. 

“Yeah, that would be great,” Frank said, and Gerard slowed down so that he could help Frank along. He was tired too, but he knew that Frank had it harder than he did. 

After crossing the wheat field, which, to Gerard’s delight, was even larger than he’d previously thought, the three of them reached a small village, populated entirely by Wookiees. Whrurrsoegn left for a few minutes and then returned with a younger-looking Wookiee with dark brown fur, who quickly identified herself as Ughrun. She then stole Gerard’s sketchbook right out of his hands. 

“Hey!” Gerard shouted as Ughrun flipped through the book, admiring his artwork. “Give that back!” 

Ughrun ignored him and kept on flipping until she came to a blank page. Then, she began to draw a comic, starting with a picture of Wookiees fighting each other on a forest planet. 

“That must be Kashyyyk, but the last civil war on that planet was three hundred years ago,” Frank said. 

“Just let her draw,” Gerard said. 

Ughrun kept on drawing, depicting a ship of Wookiees leaving Kashyyyk and landing on an uninhabited planet in Wild Space. She then showed the Wookiees building a village and planting vast fields of wheat to feed themselves. 

“Fascinating,” Gerard said. “They’ve been out here for centuries.” 

“Ask them about the base,” Frank said. 

Gerard sighed and showed Ughrun the picture of the rebels living in the wheat field, and after some consultation with Whrurrsoegn, she drew the village again, this time with the Truwel Rebellion living in harmony with the Wookiees.

Frank grinned. “I can’t wait to go back and tell the others about this,” he said. “They won’t believe what we’ve found.” 

“Yeah, me neither,” Gerard said as he looked back at the wheat field. They were about to set up a rebel base here, on the most beautiful planet in the galaxy. It felt like a dream come true. 

Ughrun handed the sketchbook back to Gerard, and he quickly drew a picture of him and Frank going back to Tatooine and then returning with a group of rebels. Then, the two of them said goodbye to their new friends, and they headed back out across the wheat field, back to the Black Mariah. 

As Gerard added a drawing of the wheat field to his map, he asked Frank, “What should we call this place?” 

“How about Taehwa?” Frank suggested. “It’s ‘wheat’ backwards.” 

“No, it isn’t.” 

“It’s close enough.” 

Gerard wasn’t convinced, but nevertheless, he labeled the planet as “Taehwa” on his map as they slowly walked across the field, taking in the beauty of the planet. He felt relaxed, soothed, comforted as he wandered closer to the Black Mariah, his hand nestled in Frank’s. It was as if the plants were whispering to him, telling him that everything was going to be okay. 

When they reached the ship, Gerard took one last look at the field of wheat, and then he and Frank stepped aboard. This time, Frank sat down in the captain’s chair and launched the ship, while Gerard stared out the window, gazing at the golden stalks. 

The good news was that he and Frank would be back before too long. As soon as they told the Truwel Rebellion about this, they’d return to Wild Space. Soon, Taehwa would be their new home.


	44. Chapter 44

_“Too many of us simply exist instead of truly living.” - Nika Daggoth, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

When Pete and Patrick landed on Tatooine, Ray, Joe, and Hayley were all there, waiting for them. As they stepped off of the ship, Pete looked out at the desert landscape and the twin suns, and then he turned to Patrick, who seemed unusually anxious. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered to him. “I’m sure Frank and Gerard are just fine.” 

“I hope so,” Patrick said, but Mikey had sensed a disturbance in the Force. Something had certainly happened, and they were about to find out what it was. 

“It’s good to see you two,” Ray said as soon as they were off the ship. “What happened to Mikey?” 

“He’s still on Dagobah,” Patrick explained. “He wanted to come with us, but Yoda wanted him to finish his training, so he decided to stay, and...well, I’m telling this story really badly, but…” 

“Patrick, you’re as cute as a button, so it doesn’t matter how bad your stories are,” Pete said. 

Patrick smiled and then asked Ray, “Where are Frank and Gerard?” 

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Ray said. 

Patrick and Pete were both quite alarmed, so Hayley jumped in and said, “We can’t stay on Tatooine forever, so Gerard and Frank went into Wild Space to find somewhere we could build a base for the Truwel Rebellion. They left last week, and we haven’t seen them since.”

“We’ve got to find them,” Patrick said. “Mikey sensed that they’re in trouble.” 

“If they are, it could be dangerous out there,” Hayley said. 

“I don’t care,” Patrick said. “They’re our friends, and we have to help them. Do you have any idea of where they are?” 

“No clue,” Hayley said. 

“I think they headed out toward Smuggler’s Run, but I’m not sure,” Joe said. 

“Come on, Pete,” Patrick said as he headed back toward the Z-95. “Let’s fly out there and see if we can find Gerard and Frank.” 

Pete followed him back into the ship, but all of a sudden, he spotted a TIE fighter flying overhead. As it came closer, he saw that it was covered in graffiti, with a dog spray-painted across one of the wings and four symbols in different colors painted across the front. 

“Hey Patrick,” Pete said. “I think Frank and Gerard are back.” 

Patrick smiled as the Black Mariah landed next to the Z-95, and sure enough, Frank and Gerard stepped out. Frank, however, was hobbling around on one leg, leaning on Gerard for support. “Are you okay, Frank?” Ray asked. 

“I’m fine,” Frank insisted as he clutched onto Gerard. “I can still walk and fight and...ow! My leg hurts!” 

“Come on,” Hayley said. “Let’s get you to a hospital.” 

As they headed into town, Pete asked Frank, “What happened to your leg?” 

“A bounty hunter shot me,” Frank explained. “Don’t worry, Gee and I got away pretty easily.” 

“You got attacked by a bounty hunter?” Ray said. 

“Practically the entire Guild, actually,” Gerard said. 

“But why?” 

“I’m Fun Ghoul,” Frank said. “When the Empire’s offering a million credits to anyone who can capture you, there are bound to be a few people willing to take them up on that offer.” 

“We lucked out though,” Gerard said. “We ended up crash landing on the most beautiful planet in the galaxy.” 

Frank rolled his eyes, and Gerard continued on, explaining how the locals had agreed to let them build a base for the Truwel Rebellion. From the way he described it, Patrick thought Taehwa sounded wonderful, but he wondered if Gerard might be exaggerating just a little bit. 

“So all that’s left is for all of us to fly there,” Frank said when Gerard was done gushing about Taehwa. 

“Where’s Mikey?” Gerard suddenly asked, panicked. “Did something happen to him?”

“He’s fine,” Patrick said. “He’s on Dagobah with Yoda.” 

“Does he have a holorecorder? I’m going to go call him.” 

Gerard ran back into the Black Mariah, returned with a holorecorder, and then immediately sent a hologram to Mikey. To Gerard’s relief, Mikey’s hologram appeared almost instantly. 

“Gerard!” Mikey said with a smile. “You’re okay!” 

“I’m okay,” Gerard said. “I just wish you were here on Tatooine. Everyone else is here - Frank, Ray, Joe, Hayley, Pete, Patrick. It’s like the gang’s back together again!” 

Gerard kept on talking to Mikey, explaining what had happened to him as everyone headed toward the hospital. When they got there, one of the medical droids helped Frank, while the rest of them waited outside, trying to figure out what they were going to do next. 

“Gerard, do you have a map of Taehwa?” Hayley asked. “We’ll need it if we’re all going to fly out into Wild Space together.” 

“I’ve made maps of the whole area surrounding Smuggler’s Run,” Gerard said. “We should have no trouble getting there.” 

Suddenly, another hologram appeared, and this time, it was Andy, checking in from Truwel. “Hey everyone,” he said.

“Andy!” Pete exclaimed. “How’s it going?” 

“Honestly, not great,” Andy said. “I’ve been in hiding for the last few weeks, but it’s even worse than we thought. It hasn’t been that long since they invaded, but the Empire’s just about ruined this planet already.”

“You could join us,” Gerard suggested. “We’re moving to Taehwa, and we think we’ll be safe from the Empire there.” 

“Where’s Taehwa?” Andy asked. 

“It’s in Wild Space,” Gerard said. “It’s a gorgeous planet, and it’s so far away from the rest of the galaxy that the Empire will never find us there.” 

“I wish I could go with you, but Truwel is my home,” Andy said. 

“Come on, Andy,” Pete said. “You don’t have to stay there forever.” 

“Yes, I do,” Andy said. “I’ll keep Truwel safe until the end. I’ll go down with the ship if I have to.” 

He said it with such conviction that nobody could argue with him, but the rest of the Truwel Rebellion still didn’t know what they were doing next, how they’d function on a new planet without their brave leader. “Where do we go from here, Andy?” Joe asked. 

“There’s a lot that still needs to be done,” Andy said. “There are Jedi out there that need proper protection, Outer Rim planets that need to be defended, policies that need to be reversed. I’ve heard rumors that they’re building a superweapon…” 

“None of that gets to the root of the problem,” Patrick said suddenly. 

“What do you mean?” Andy asked. 

“When I was talking to Yoda, he said that Darth Vader was the cause of all of this. If we get rid of Vader, the Empire will fall.” 

“So all we have to do is kill Darth Vader,” Gerard said. “This shit is easy peasy pumpkin peasy…”

“You’d better not say anything about pumpkin pie,” Mikey said. 

“Wow, Mikey, you read my mind.” 

Patrick rolled his eyes and said, “It’s not that simple. I already fought Vader once, and I lost my hand. He’s powerful, more powerful than we know. It will take more than a ragtag bunch of misfits to take him down.”

“It’s worth a try though, isn’t it?” Pete said. 

“We don’t even know where Vader is,” Patrick said. 

“Actually, we do,” Andy said. 

“We do?” Patrick said, surprised. 

“He has his own personal TIE fighter, and trust me, it’s not hard to track.” Andy reached over to enter something into a computer, and then he turned back toward the others. “Right now, it looks like he’s headed toward the Jinata system.” 

“Interesting,” Ray said. “The planets in that system are already Imperial strongholds.” 

Joe nodded and said, “I wonder what he’s doing there.” 

“We should focus on moving to Taehwa before we get too wrapped up in planning to kill Darth Vader,” Hayley said. “We’re playing the long game, remember?” 

“Of course,” Andy said. 

There was a period of silence, and then Gerard asked, “Is it okay if I go to Dagobah after we get set up Taehwa? You know, so I can make sure my brother’s doing okay?”

“I’m fine, Gerard!” Mikey exclaimed. “You don’t need to worry about me.” 

Pete and Patrick exchanged a glance, and then Patrick said, “As Mikey said, he’s okay, but if you want to check on him, that’s fine.”

“I should probably go, but keep me posted on how the move to Taehwa goes,” Andy said. “May the Force be with you all.” 

Andy’s hologram disappeared, and all of the members of the Truwel Rebellion went their separate ways. Patrick, for one, had no idea what he was going to do. He couldn’t wait to see Taehwa, but then what would he do? There was no way he could confront Darth Vader again, but if he didn’t, the Empire would win. 

Patrick tried not to think about it as he wandered through the desert with Pete by his side. It wasn’t worth worrying about Vader now, not when he was with the boy he loved. 

Another day went by, and as soon as Frank was well enough to travel, the Truwel Rebellion packed up and left Tatooine. The Black Mariah led the way, racing past asteroid fields and strange, undiscovered planets until they made it to Taehwa. Finally, the Truwel Rebellion fleet touched down, but when they stepped out of their ships, they were all a bit disappointed. 

“There’s nothing here,” Ray said as he looked out over the surface of the planet. 

“Yeah,” Hayley said. “It’s just a bunch of corn.” 

“Actually, it’s wheat,” Frank corrected her. 

“It’s so boring,” Pete complained. 

“Boring planets are safe planets,” Patrick said in an attempt to stay somewhat positive.

All of a sudden, Gerard stepped out of the Black Mariah, took a deep breath of fresh air, and smiled. “Welcome to Taehwa,” he said. “The most beautiful planet in the galaxy.”


	45. Chapter 45

_“The needs of many always outweigh the needs of the few, no matter the situation. Our job is to protect the galaxy, not to protect ourselves.” - Vosuk Nolusk, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

The Truwel Rebellion quickly got to work on building a base on Taehwa, and as the days turned into weeks, the rebels settled into their new home. They all spent time exploring the area - which was really just wheat as far as the eye could see - and they got to know the locals a little bit. Occasionally, they went on missions to defend planets in the Outer Rim from the Imperial fleet, but most of the time, they stayed on Taehwa, biding their time until they could truly strike back against the Empire. 

After everything that had happened since the raid on the Jedi Temple, Patrick didn’t mind the extra free time. He meditated, clearing his mind and connecting with the Force. He volunteered around the base, helping to improve this new community they’d created. He befriended the wildlife on Taehwa, just like Yoda had welcomed the creatures of Dagobah into his home. He learned how to play the trumpet and the Growdi Harmonique, and he found joy through music. He practiced his calligraphy until he forgot how to spell words normally. 

Most of all, he spent time with Pete. Some nights, they went out for dinner, and other nights, they stayed home and watched holograms together. The two of them talked for hours on end, and when they ran out of things to talk about, they cuddled. It was the little things that made it all so perfect though. It was the way Pete gave Patrick his coat when he was feeling cold. It was the way Patrick sang to Pete every day. It was the way they swore to protect each other, no matter what happened. It was the way they loved each other, freely and unconditionally. 

Yet, Patrick felt like he could be doing more. While he spent his days with the most beautiful boy in the galaxy, the Empire was devastating planets, invading the Outer Rim, murdering his fellow Jedi. There had to be a way to put a stop to it all. 

At night, when Pete was asleep in his arms, Yoda’s words echoed through his head. If they could destroy Darth Vader, the Empire would fall. He wanted nothing more than to finally put an end to the Empire, but the phantom pain running through his left hand reminded him that he wasn’t ready. Maybe he could convince Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda to come out of hiding and confront Vader. They were both far more powerful and experienced than he was. If anyone could kill Vader, it would be them. 

Little did Patrick know that Pete was thinking about the exact same problem. He knew the Truwel Rebellion had to kill Darth Vader to save the galaxy, and he knew exactly how they’d do it. He just had to convince the rest of the Rebellion that his plan would work, but more importantly, he had to convince Patrick. 

One day, as they wandered around the base, Pete said, “Patrick, we need to talk.” 

“Sure,” Patrick said as the two of them passed by Gerard, who was staring at the wheat field again. “What do you want to talk about?” 

“You said that we need to destroy Vader, right?” 

“Actually, Yoda said that.”

“No, he didn’t,” Pete said. “He probably said something like…” He cleared his throat and then, in a perfect impression of Yoda’s voice, he said, “Destroy Vader, we must, or doomed, the galaxy is. Also, failing Jedi training, Mikey is. Tell the difference between me and some swamp creature, he cannot.” 

Patrick tried not to laugh, but he did anyway. “That’s pretty spot on, Pete,” he said.

“Thanks.” 

“Anyways, I’m thinking about talking to Yoda or Obi-Wan. Either of them could defeat Vader easily…” 

“No,” Pete interrupted. “I have a better idea.” 

“What could possibly be a better idea than having the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order confront Vader?” 

“You could do it.” 

Patrick sighed. “Pete, you don’t understand,” he said. “I would if I could, but I’m too weak to fight Vader. I lost my hand last time I fought him. I don’t want to lose my life.” 

Pete paused for a moment. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like if Patrick died. All his life, the only thing that kept him going was the knowledge that Patrick Stump was out there somewhere, alive. He didn’t know what he’d do if Vader killed him. Maybe he’d follow Patrick and rejoin with the Force. Maybe the cons of breathing would finally outweigh the pros. 

Then again, Pete knew his boyfriend, and he knew just how powerful he was, even if he’d never admit it. Patrick was as sweet and innocent as a lamb, but he had the strength of a lion. With his deadly combination of discipline and raw power, Pete was sure that Patrick could defeat Vader easily. He just needed some confidence. 

“Come on, Patrick,” Pete said. “You’re a legend, a champion. You can beat Vader.”

“No, I can’t.” 

“Yes, you can!” 

“Maybe if you help me.”

“But I’m not even a Force user!” 

“You can still fight. You rescued me from Brendon, remember?” 

Pete smiled and then said, “Yeah, but Mikey did all of the real fighting. I just chopped off your hand again.” 

“Stop beating yourself up over that. It was an accident.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Pete said, but he still felt incredibly guilty. Even if he hadn’t meant to, he’d hurt the boy he loved. He destroyed everything he touched, and Patrick was no exception. Wherever he went, trouble seemed to follow, but he had to be more careful. He couldn’t risk losing the best thing that had ever happened to him. 

Patrick stayed quiet for a while, and then he said, “Maybe you shouldn’t fight Vader.”

“I thought you wanted help,” Pete said, confused. 

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Pete. I don’t know what I’d do if...if something happened to you.” 

“I don’t know what I’d do without you either,” Pete said. “I think you’ll be okay though. We’ve already been through so much. We survived the raid on the Jedi Temple, we fought Brendon twice, we’ve taken on the whole Imperial fleet, I fell into a sinkhole…” 

“Vader’s more dangerous than that,” Patrick said. “He’d murder you in an instant, and I can’t let that happen. You mean too much to me.” 

“So you’re doing this by yourself?” Pete said. 

“I don’t know,” Patrick said. “I still think that there are other Jedi out there that would have a better shot at this than me. Maybe we should go back to Dagobah, make sure Mikey’s doing okay, see if Yoda might be willing to come out of hiding to fight Vader…” 

“No way, Trick,” Pete said. “The other Jedi have had their chance. You can do this. You can save the galaxy. You’re a great guy, and it’s about time more people know just how great you are. The only thing stopping you is you.” 

Patrick thought about it and then said, “Are you sure?” 

“I’ve never been so sure of anything,” Pete said. “I promise you can defeat Vader.” 

Finally, Patrick said, “I’ll do it, but I want you to come with me. For moral support.” 

Pete kissed his cheek. “Of course, Lunchbox,” he said. “Anything for you.” 

“We still need to figure out where Vader is though,” Patrick said. “Do you know if we could send a hologram to Andy again?” 

“I have an even better idea,” Pete said. “The Horseshoe Crab has a tracking system on board, doesn’t it?” 

“I think so…” 

Pete grabbed Patrick’s hat, put it on, and then ran off. “Hey!” Patrick shouted as he sprinted after him. “Give that back!” 

Pete laughed as he cut across the wheat field, beads of sweat dripping down his face as he held onto Patrick’s hat. For the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of hope, knowing that soon, Patrick would destroy Darth Vader and the Empire. The galaxy was on the cusp of freedom, and they were good to go for something golden. As far as Pete was concerned, nothing could be better than this. 

Patrick, on the other hand, was laser-focused on getting his hat back. He sprinted after Pete, chasing him across the wheat field and toward the shipyard, but not even the Force could help him catch up. When he finally made it to the Horseshoe Crab, he panted and said, “Pete...I don’t sports.” 

“That’s okay. I love you the way you are,” Pete said as he put Patrick’s hat back on his head. “Come on. Let’s figure out where Darth Vader is.” 

Patrick reluctantly followed Pete onto the Horseshoe Crab, and as Pete typed something into the tracking system, he started to worry. What if he couldn’t do it? What if Vader defeated him again? Worse, what if he hurt Pete? Patrick wasn’t sure he could live with that. 

“Hey Trick, it looks like he’s on Vardos,” Pete said. 

“So Andy was right,” Patrick said. “Vader was heading for the Jinata system.” 

“All we have to do is fly there,” Pete said. 

Patrick took a deep breath. He was scared of what might happen, but every moment he stayed on Taehwa was another moment the Empire was oppressing the galaxy. Trillions of lives were at stake. He had to do this, not for the fame, the scars, or the stories, but for the galaxy. 

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s go.” 

Within hours, the two of them packed up the Z-95, and after saying goodbye to the rest of the Truwel Rebellion, they took off for Vardos. As the ship took off, Patrick held onto Pete’s hand, watching the wheat field grow smaller and smaller. 

When it finally disappeared, Patrick wondered just what he had gotten himself into.


	46. Chapter 46

_“The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see, the future is.” - Yoda, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As he watched the Z-95 take off, Gerard started walking toward the Black Mariah. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave his new home once again, but Pete and Patrick’s departure had reminded him of what he needed to do. However, as he came closer to the brightly painted ship, Frank stepped in front of him. 

“Where are you going?” he asked. 

“Dagobah,” Gerard said. “I’m going to see my brother.” 

“Don’t you need a pilot?” Frank said with a smirk. 

Gerard glanced at Frank’s leg, but admittedly, he was doing a lot better. He still worried about Frank all the time, knowing that he would do whatever he could to help the Truwel Rebellion, even at the expense of his health. Normally, Frank’s determination and rebelliousness were some of the things that Gerard loved most about him, but now, it just made him panic about Frank making his injury even worse than it already was. At this point, however, he was doing well enough to fly a ship. There was nothing to worry about. 

“Yeah, I think I do,” Gerard said as he held Frank’s hand. 

Gerard said goodbye once again to the most beautiful planet in the galaxy, and he climbed on board the Black Mariah, his anxieties growing as he moved away from the wheat field. As Frank sat in the captain’s chair, Gerard looked around the ship for a moment. Some of his maps were still in the Black Mariah, and he daydreamed about flying around Wild Space with Frank. After all of that traveling, it was hard to believe that it had been over a week since they’d been in space. He and Frank were overdue for a joyride. 

“We’ve got to decorate the inside of the ship one of these days,” Gerard said. “It’s still pretty drab in here.” 

“That’s a great idea,” Frank said, grinning as he launched the ship. “How should we decorate it?”

“I’d like to draw some comic book characters, but it’s your ship…”

“No, that sounds awesome!” Frank exclaimed. “Can we add some puppies in there too? They make me happy.” 

“You have a few dogs, right?” Gerard said. 

Frank’s eyes lit up as soon as Gerard said that, and Gerard couldn’t help but smile. “More like a few dozen, but I can’t help it! They’re so cute!” 

“You should bring them to Taehwa. I’m sure they’d like it there.” 

“You’d have to help me walk them.” 

“I’d love to.”

“Really?” 

Gerard nodded. “I just want you to be happy, Frankie.”

“That’s what I want for you too, Gee,” Frank said, smiling. 

Gerard took out his sketchbook, but his eyes stayed fixated on Frank. He looked so perfect in that moment, with his jet black hair brushing against his shoulders, his tattooed hands deftly piloting the ship, and his gorgeous brown eyes staring into Gerard’s. He wanted nothing more than to capture this moment, to make it last forever. 

As it was, the trip to Dagobah was far shorter than Gerard would have liked. He chatted with Frank some more, and he drew a design for a mural to go on the interior of the Black Mariah, but it wasn’t long at all before the ship landed on Dagobah. 

When he stepped out of the ship, Gerard was deeply disappointed. There was nothing here but murky water and overgrown weeds, and as he made his way through the swamp, his boots becoming muddier by the minute, he wondered how Mikey could put up with a planet like this for weeks on end. 

“This place is even worse than Taehwa,” Frank said as he followed Gerard through the muck. 

“Say that again, and I’ll break up with you.” Frank immediately went silent, and Gerard said, “Dagobah is the worst though. I can’t imagine why Yoda would want to live here.” 

All of a sudden, Gerard spotted a hut in the distance, and in front of it, he swore that he could see Mikey and Yoda. “Speak of the devil,” he said as he came closer. 

Eventually, Frank and Gerard made it to Yoda’s hut, and sure enough, Mikey was practicing his acrobatics, while Yoda watched him and occasionally corrected his technique. 

“Hi Mikey,” Gerard said to his little brother, causing him to tumble to the ground. 

“Gerard!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” 

“I just wanted to see how you were doing.” 

“You messed up my Recovery Double Flip.” 

“Oh, come on. It can’t be that hard.” 

“I’d like to see you try.” 

Gerard immediately leapt high into the air, flipped twice, and then landed perfectly. “How was that?” he asked as soon as his feet touched the ground. 

“A Force user, is he?” Yoda asked Mikey. 

“I don’t think so, Yoda,” Mikey said. “Gravity just doesn’t mean too much to him.” 

“Wait a second,” Frank said. “ _That’s_ Yoda? I thought he’d be taller.” 

“Hypocritical you are to judge me by my size,” Yoda said. 

“Clearly, some introductions are in order,” Mikey said. “Yoda, this is my brother, Gerard, and his boyfriend, Frank. Gee and Frank, this is Yoda, the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Master Yoda. I’m a huge fan of yours,” Gerard said. “I just have one question.” 

“What is it?” Yoda asked. 

“In Volume Three, Issue Twenty-Six of True Clone Wars Adventures, you used the Force to heal Oppo Rancisis, but in the following issue, you had the opportunity to heal Saesee Tiin, but you didn’t. Why is that?” 

“Remember this, I do not,” Yoda said. 

“But it was an important arc! It set up the siege of N’Zoth!” 

“Gerard, stop harassing Yoda,” Mikey said. 

“I’m not harassing him!” 

“Yes, you are.” 

Gerard sighed. “Fine,” he said. “By the way, Frank and I found a beautiful planet out in Wild Space. The Truwel Rebellion has a base there now, and it’s amazing.” 

“I know. You mentioned it when you sent me that hologram,” Mikey said. “I’m glad the move went well though.” 

“You could come to Taehwa with us if you want. I think you’d like it there.” 

Mikey paused and then turned to Yoda, who said, “Go to Taehwa, you can. If you would like.” 

“Really?” Mikey said. 

Yoda nodded. “Ready to leave, you are. A true Jedi Knight, you have become.”

“Thank you, Yoda,” Mikey said, but Gerard noticed that he looked rather uneasy. 

“Much progress, you have made, but carry on our traditions, you must,” Yoda said. “Teach your friends on Taehwa the ways of the Jedi.”

“I will, Master Yoda.” 

“Good, very good. May the Force be with you, Mikey.” 

“May the Force be with you too.” 

“Come on, let’s go,” Frank said. “We should get back to the base before too much longer.” 

Mikey waved goodbye to Yoda, and he and Gerard followed Frank back to the ship. Gerard still had a million questions that he wanted to ask Yoda about the True Clone Wars Adventures, but on the other hand, he couldn’t wait to catch up with his brother and see Taehwa once again. 

On the way back to the Black Mariah, Gerard asked, “So how was Jedi training? Did you get a lightsaber? I’ve always wanted one of those…” 

“Not yet,” Mikey said. 

“But lightsabers are iconic Jedi weapons!” Gerard said. “Now that you’re a Jedi Knight, you should have one.” 

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Frank said. “Lightsabers aren’t as good as blasters.” 

“Fair point,” Gerard said. “I just think lightsabers are more elegant. Beautiful, even.” 

“Not as beautiful as you,” Frank said as he leaned closer to Gerard.

They kissed passionately, prompting Mikey to roll his eyes and say, “Gross. Cut it out, you two.” 

“You’re just jealous because I have a ridiculously hot boyfriend and you don’t,” Gerard said as he kissed Frank again. 

“Can we go back to Yoda’s hut?” Mikey asked. 

“Nope,” Frank said. “You’re stuck with us.” 

“Where’s Pete?” Mikey interrupted as the three of them climbed on board the Black Mariah. 

“I forgot,” Gerard said. “Frank, do you remember where he said he was going?” 

“Vardos, I think,” Frank said. 

“Why?” Mikey asked. “I thought he and Patrick were supposed to come back to Dagobah after they made sure that you guys were okay.” 

“They’re going to confront Darth Vader,” Gerard said. 

“They’re going to get themselves killed!” Mikey exclaimed. “We’ve got to help them somehow.” 

“It’s too late,” Frank said. “They’re probably on Vardos by now. We won’t be able to get there in time to stop them.” 

“I’m sure they’ll be back by the time we get to Taehwa,” Frank said, but Mikey still looked anxious. 

“I hope they’re okay,” Mikey said. “Pete still owes me twenty credits from that time I beat him in sabacc.” 

Gerard was still confused by Pete and Mikey’s rather inexplicable friendship, but he thought it was sweet that his brother had found a true companion. He only hoped that Mikey wouldn’t lose him. 

As Frank launched the ship, Gerard turned to Mikey and said, “I’m sure they will be. The galaxy is an ugly place, but there’s still some good in it.” He paused and then added, “It’s good to have you back, Mikey.” 

“You too, Gee,” Mikey said as he stared out the window, stone-faced. 

However, the more Gerard thought about it, the more he realized his little brother might be right. The whole Jedi Order had failed. They’d fought the Clone Wars in vain, they’d let the Empire take over, they’d let Vader rise to power. What hope did Pete and Patrick have against someone like Darth Vader?


	47. Chapter 47

_“Together, we shall defend the ways of the Jedi.” - Tycho Zapal, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As they came closer to Vardos, Pete started to panic. The planet looked dark and stormy, and he definitely had a bad feeling about what they were about to do, but nevertheless, Patrick steered the Z-95 into the planet’s atmosphere, humming softly to himself as he passed by an Imperial TIE fighter. 

While Pete wrote another bad poem in the margins of his copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters,_ Patrick carefully landed the Z-95 in an abandoned shipyard. As soon as they were on the ground, Pete glanced out the window. Now that they were on the surface of the planet, Vardos was even more terrifying - the shipyard was next to a huge Imperial fortress, and every building in sight was similarly tall, harsh, and menacing. Even the sky was the same gray color as the ships in the Imperial Fleet. 

“Holy smokes,” Patrick said. “We’re here.” 

“No kidding, Lunchbox.” 

“I’m not going to lie - I’m a little nervous.” 

Pete was terrified, but he reminded himself why he was here. He was supposed to be Patrick’s moral support. He had to support him, even when he could barely support himself. 

“You can do this,” Pete said. “You can beat Darth Vader.” 

“What if I can’t?” Patrick asked. 

“You can, but if things get tough, just sing to yourself,” Pete suggested. “Maybe something like, ‘I’m Patrick Stump, and I’ll go down in history. I’m the cutest Jedi in the galaxy, not to mention the nicest one, and I’ll dance alone to the beat of my heart if I have to. I’ll beat Darth Vader because I’m literally perfect, and there’s nothing I can’t do.” 

“But Pete, that’s not…” 

“I’m only stating facts, Trick.” 

Patrick was silent for a moment and then he said, “Pete, if I don’t come back…”

“Don’t even say that.” 

“If I don’t come back, I want you to know that you’re the song stuck in my head, because in all my life, you’re the only person that’s ever really understood me. We’ve been through a lot, but I wouldn’t take a single moment of it back. I love you to death.” 

“I love you too,” Pete said with a smile. “What a match we are though. I’m half-doomed, and you’re semi-sweet.” 

Patrick chuckled and then said, “I think that’s why we’re so perfect together.” 

Pete smiled again, knowing that his boyfriend was right. He never felt as happy as he did when he was with Patrick. 

“Well, there’s no use in delaying the inevitable,” Patrick said. “I should go.” 

He kissed Pete and then headed for the door, but Pete stopped him. “You should take R1-69 with you,” he said. “That way, you won’t have to go in alone.” 

Patrick looked reluctant, but the droid rolled up next to him, and he said, “I guess that’s okay.” 

Pete stole one more kiss, and then he said, “I’ll see you soon, Trick. May the Force be with you.” 

“May the Force be with you too, Pete,” Patrick said as he stepped out of the Z-95 with R1 in tow. 

As Pete waved to him from inside the ship, Patrick started walking toward the Imperial fortress. He took a breath of the dry, smoky air, and he looked over his shoulder, just to make sure that nobody was watching him. Pete had given him some confidence that he could beat Vader, but now that he was alone, he was afraid again. Just as he was approaching the fortress, a burst of pain shot through his robotic hand, and he wanted nothing more than to turn back. 

Then, he remembered what Pete had said. If things get tough, just sing to yourself. He hummed a tune to himself as he stepped closer to the door, and to his surprise, he did feel a little better. 

_I can do this_ , he thought to himself. _I can free the galaxy from the terrors of the Empire. I’m Patrick Stump, and I’ll go down in history._

As soon as Patrick opened the door, alarms started going off. At first, he backed away, but when a group of droids rushed toward him, he ignited his lightsaber, ready to do whatever it took to find Darth Vader and defeat him once and for all. 

He swung his lightsaber and smashed the closest battle droid into pieces. Another one started shooting at him, but he easily deflected the blaster bolts with his lightsaber. Then, he spun in a circle, taking out the rest of the droids.

Patrick ran into the building, the alarms still blaring, but as soon as he got inside, three large, gray security droids blocked his way. “Intruder alert! Intruder alert!” one of them shouted, but Patrick immediately sliced through one of its legs, knocking it over. He stepped closer to the other two droids, deflecting their blaster bolts, and then he leapt into the air, hitting them both with his lightsaber as he hit the ground. 

Patrick turned off his lightsaber and sprinted down the hallway, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He was scared, but he knew he was ready for this. He was ready to defeat Vader, overthrow the Empire, save the galaxy. It was so close he could taste it. Once this was all over, the galaxy would be free at last. 

All of a sudden, he heard heavy breathing, and he knew exactly where to go. 

He ran through the fortress, following the sound of the breathing, and eventually, he figured out where Vader was hiding. However, the door was locked, so Patrick hid nearby and listened to what was going on inside. 

“I’m sorry, Lord Vader,” one of the officers said. “I deployed our security droids, but the intruder must have gotten past them.” 

“You have failed me…” Vader said, but Patrick didn’t hear the rest over the hum of Vader’s lightsaber. As he heard the officer scream, Patrick ignited his lightsaber again. When Darth Vader left the room, Patrick would be ready. Today, the Empire’s tyrannical rule would end. 

A few minutes later, the door swung open, and Patrick jumped out in front of Vader. “Patrick Stump,” Vader said calmly as he held his lightsaber in front of him. “I thought I got rid of you on Truwel.” 

“I’m back with a madness,” Patrick said as he swung toward Vader. However, Vader easily parried his attack. 

This was how he’d lost last time. Back on Truwel, he’d let Vader gain an advantage, but this time, he wouldn’t make the same mistake. 

Patrick immediately charged toward Vader, his lightsaber spinning. He managed to strike him in the arm, but it wasn’t a strong enough hit. All it did was put a dent in his armor. 

He tried to attack again, but Vader parried and counterattacked in response. Soon, Patrick was on the defensive again. He took a deep breath and focused on his footwork, making sure that every block was perfect. When the time was right, he would attack again. 

As Vader got more and more desperate, Patrick remained calm, parrying each of Vader’s blows until finally, Vader made a mistake. His left side was wide open, giving Patrick the perfect opportunity to strike his wrist. However, he didn’t swing hard enough. Once again, the only damage was a small dent in Vader’s black armor. 

“You’re still weak, just like all of the Jedi,” Vader said as he swung his lightsaber in Patrick’s direction. “If only you knew the power of the dark side…” 

_Whatever happened to treating the world better than it treated you?_ Patrick wondered. 

“You know, it’s a shame that I have to fight you,” Patrick said. “I bet you’re actually a nice guy under all of that armor.” 

Vader stepped away for a moment, confused by what Patrick had just said. Patrick immediately realized that this was the perfect opportunity to attack. He stepped closer and swung his lightsaber overhead, ready to strike. 

As Vader lunged toward him, Patrick hesitated for just a moment. His heart was pounding, and he’d never been so afraid in his life. What if he was making a grave mistake? What if killing Vader wasn’t what the galaxy needed after all? 

He only froze for a moment, but it was just enough time for Vader to stab him in the chest. 

Patrick screamed as he collapsed to the floor. He could hear Vader gloating over his victory, but his vision was already fading to black, and he could feel his soul separating from his body, rejoining the Force. Death was the last appointment, and now, it was time for him to go. 

“Tell Pete…” he said, but he never finished his sentence. 

He drew in his last breath, and just before he hit the ground, his body faded until there was nothing there, nothing but thin air. By the time his robes fell onto the floor, he had disappeared completely. Patrick Stump was gone.

Meanwhile, Pete waited inside the Z-95, wondering what was taking Patrick so long. He wished that he had Patrick’s powers, that he could reach out through the Force and feel his presence, but he couldn’t. Every time his instructors had asked him to reach out and feel the Force flowing through every living thing, he’d felt nothing. He still trusted that it was there - after all, it was as good of an explanation as any for the Jedi’s extraordinary powers - but he couldn’t use it. Usually, he was okay with that, but it was at times like these that he wished he was different. 

Suddenly, R1 rolled onto the ship, clutching several strange objects. She dumped it all on the floor and then let out a series of beeps. It took Pete a moment to translate, but when he finally understood, his heart broke. 

_I’m sorry,_ she’d said. _This is all that’s left of him._

As tears streamed from his face, Pete rummaged through the pile. There was Patrick’s blood-spattered robe. His worn-out boots. His glasses, with a crack running through one of the lenses. The same black fedora Pete had stolen for him back on Alsakan. His blue-green lightsaber. 

Pete picked up the fedora and held it close, bawling his eyes out as he thought about Patrick. He didn’t deserve this. Patrick was only sixteen, far too young to die, and in a way, it was Pete’s fault. He’d convinced Patrick to confront Darth Vader, and because of him, he was dead.

They would never get to see each other again. They would never get to have another conversation. They would never go on another adventure. Pete would never make him another cup of tea. He would never hear him sing again. He would never get another chance to tell him just how much he loved him. 

Pete opened his copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , but he accidentally flipped to the page where Patrick had written, “Boring planets are safe planets.” As soon as he saw those words, Pete cried even harder. He cried until his tears stained the pages and smudged the ink. Maybe he should have followed his advice. If he had, maybe Patrick would be alive right now. 

Pete looked out the window, and he saw a group of stormtroopers rushing toward the Z-95. With one hand, he prepared for takeoff, and with the other, he ignited his lightsaber, but his heart wasn’t in it. 

He’d fight the stormtroopers, he’d do what he had to do, but all he wanted was to disappear to wherever Patrick was.


	48. Chapter 48

_“Some among us challenge the last line of the Jedi Code. ‘There is no death, there is the Force.’ How can we say such a thing when our fellow Jedi, our friends perish on a daily basis? How can we deny that we’ve lost them? Yet, we never truly lose the ones we love. They are with us in our hearts, and they are with us as part of the Living Force.” - Kao Anugh, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

“I know you’re in there, you piece of rebel scum!” one of the stormtroopers shouted from outside the Z-95. “Open up!” 

Pete set Patrick’s hat down on the dashboard, and he turned toward the door, his vision still blurry with tears. If Patrick were here, he might have whispered “Holy smokes” and ignited his lightsaber, but he was gone, and Pete wasn’t Patrick. He never could be. 

As one of the stormtroopers picked the lock on the door, Pete sat in the captain’s chair, passively pushing buttons in an attempt to launch the ship before they got inside. However, he didn’t particularly care if that happened. He didn’t even care if they killed him. He felt empty inside, like there was a Patrick-shaped hole in his heart. 

The stormtroopers finally burst through the door and started shooting, and Pete held up his blue lightsaber in a weak attempt to block their shots. However, the stormtroopers were lousy shots as always, and none of their blaster bolts managed to hit Pete. He didn’t even have to try to defend himself. With marksmanship this poor, there was no chance of the stormtroopers hitting him at all, let alone killing him. 

Within a few minutes, R1 finished launching the ship, and it began to rise into the air. Pete shoved the stormtroopers off of the ship with his lightsaber, and he immediately locked the door as the ship headed into the upper atmosphere. Then, he slumped back into the captain’s chair, realizing just how alone he was in the universe. 

The only person who truly understood him was gone. 

He tried to distract himself by reading over his old poetry, but every bad poem reminded him of Patrick. There was always a line about baby blue eyes or falling in love with his best friend, and now that Patrick had disappeared into the Force, he couldn’t bear it. Sometimes, he even read the verses in Patrick’s voice. He needed something to take his pain away, but the only thing that ever made him feel better was Patrick. Now, he wasn’t sure if anything could ever make him smile again. 

Eventually, he turned to the Jedi Masters of the past, hoping that they might give him some consolation, but reading their words didn’t help either. They always pointed to the Force giving eternal life, but even if Patrick really was out there somewhere, on some other plane of existence, it didn’t make Pete feel any better. He’d never get a chance to see him again, a chance to make more memories. 

Besides, what justice was there in killing a sixteen year old? Patrick had done a lot over the course of his lifetime, but he’d never gotten the chance to experience all that life had to offer. To Pete, it felt profoundly unfair that Patrick was dead and he wasn’t. Patrick was an angel, while Pete was just the boy who’d had too many chances. If the world was fair, maybe they’d both be alive right now, or maybe they’d be together in death. Maybe Pete wouldn’t have an endless longing in his heart, a sorrow that would never go away. Maybe he would be okay. 

Pete set a course for Taehwa, but he didn’t know how he would face the other rebels when he got there, or how he would go on living without Patrick. Already, he knew the wheat fields on Taehwa would only remind him of the days he’d spent with Patrick, gazing at the stars, chasing him through the stalks, listening to his soul voice. He was convinced that Patrick was the one for him. Without him, he was hopeless. 

Eventually, the Z-95 landed on Taehwa, and as he headed for the door, Pete couldn’t have possibly felt worse. He shed another tear as he gathered up what remained of his beloved boyfriend, and just as he was about to open the door, he collapsed to the ground. “I can’t do this, R1,” he said. 

Suddenly, R1 rolled over to the ship’s control panel and opened the door for him. As sunlight streamed into the ship, Pete stumbled to his feet and started heading toward the base. 

As soon as Pete left the ship, Mikey ran up to him and gave him a hug. “Pete!” he exclaimed. “You made it!” 

“Mikey?” Pete said weakly. “I thought you were supposed to stay on Dagobah with Yoda.” 

“I finished my training,” Mikey said. “Yoda made me a Jedi Knight.” All of a sudden, a strange expression flashed across his face as he realized that something was very wrong. “Where’s Patrick?” he asked. 

“He’s...he’s…” Pete stuttered, but he couldn’t finish the sentence. He buried his face against Mikey’s shoulder, and he bawled his eyes out as he thought of Patrick once again. 

Mikey was about to say something, but all of a sudden, Frank, Gerard, and Ray approached them. “What’s going on?” Ray asked. 

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Mikey said. “Pete’s pretty upset though.” 

To say that he was upset was an understatement when it felt like his whole world was crashing down around him. He let out a few more loud, ugly sobs before trying to get a hold of himself. He took a deep breath in, and he tried to clear his mind, just as the Jedi Order had taught him to do. He knew that he had to tell his friends what had happened, but how could he do that now, when the wound was still so fresh? 

Eventually, he turned away from Mikey, and as he wiped away his tears, he said, “It’s Patrick. He...he didn’t make it.” 

Pete immediately burst into tears again, and Mikey held him close, trying his best to make him feel better in any way he could. “I’m so sorry,” he said. 

“It’s not your fault,” Pete muttered. “It’s mine.” 

“You didn’t do anything, Pete.” 

“Yes, I did,” Pete said in between sobs. “I was the one who convinced him to go to Vardos and fight Darth Vader. It’s my fault that he died.” 

“But Vader was the one who killed him.” 

“Vader wouldn’t have had a chance to kill him if it wasn’t for me.” 

Mikey let go of Pete and then said, “It’s not worth arguing over this. Listen, if you need anything, just let me know.” 

“I can help you too,” Ray said. 

“Me too,” Gerard and Frank said simultaneously. 

Despite their best intentions, Pete knew that his friends wouldn’t be able to help him. They hadn’t known Patrick like he had. They hadn’t loved him. They couldn’t possibly understand what he was going through. 

Pete glanced toward the wheat field one more time, and then he started walking home, toward the tiny hut he’d once shared with Patrick. Even though there were plenty of people wandering around the piece, Pete felt more alone than ever. Normally, he liked talking to his neighbors, telling them how things were going, but now, all he wanted was to have Patrick back. 

He had been so sure that their relationship was unbreakable, that the world could end, and he’d still have Patrick. He wished that was true. He wished that love could transcend death, but in the end, it just wasn’t possible. He didn’t care that Patrick was a part of the Force now, not when he’d never see him again, not when he’d never get another chance to hold his hand. 

When Pete finally made it home, he opened up his copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ and he started to read. It didn’t help much, but at least learning from the great Jedi of the past kept his mind away from Patrick. 

Over the next few days, that was all Pete did. He slept as much as he could, if only to dull the pain, and when he was awake, he read _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ cover to cover, over and over again until he could recite every word. Sometimes, one of his friends would stop by to check on him, but none of them could help him. 

He wasn’t the desperate type, or so he told himself. 

One day, Joe knocked on his door, and Pete reluctantly got out of bed and answered it. “Hey Pete,” Joe said. “I just wanted to see how you were holding up.”

“How do you think I’m holding up?” Pete said. 

“I’m really sorry about Patrick. I know it must be hard for you.” 

“I just miss him so much, Joe.” 

“I know,” Joe said. “I’ve got some good news though.” 

“What is it?” Pete said, even though he was sure that nothing Joe could say could possibly cheer him up. 

“Frank and Gerard are planning to come over later, and I heard Gerard’s bringing you some comics,” Joe said. “Also, I’ve been practicing my guitar, and I started working on a neat project you might like, and Andy’s thinking of having us attack one of the Imperial bases in the Mid-Rim later this month...”

“What’s the point?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Patrick tried to kill Vader, tried to end Imperial rule, and he failed,” Pete said. “What’s the point of trying to fight the Empire now? If Patrick can’t overthrow the Empire, then what hope do the rest of us have?” 

“I think we can do it,” Joe said. “It might take time, but the Empire can’t last forever.” 

Pete wasn’t so sure. Besides, even if Joe was right, how many more innocent people would die before the Empire finally fell? 

“It’s going to get better,” Joe said. “I promise.” 

Of course, Pete didn’t believe him. Joe hung around for a little while longer, but just like everyone else, he didn’t get it. He didn’t understand Pete’s pain. 

When Joe finally left, Pete went back to reading. As he flipped to the right page in _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , he thought of Patrick again. He thought of his smile, his kind, loving personality, the blue-green eyes that Pete would never get to see again. Without Patrick, Pete felt like he had nothing to look forward to. There was no hope, no future. There was no reason to stay alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for supporting this story! I'm probably only going to do a couple more chapters, and I'm not entirely sure what I'll post next. I might make a sequel to Star Wars: Saviors of the Broken, but I'm not sure if it's going to be right away. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned! :D


	49. Chapter 49

_“No matter where you go, the Force will always be with you.” - Kit Storm, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_

As soon as he was done talking to Pete, Joe headed toward the center of the base, where Gerard, Ray, Frank, and Mikey were busy chatting. “Can you believe the Empire banned the new issue of _Apocalypse Guard_? It feels like the whole galaxy’s gone mad,” Gerard said. 

“They’re the Empire, Gee,” Frank said. “They’ll do whatever it takes to stay in power.” 

“Yeah, but forbidding art seems a little excessive, even for them.” Gerard sighed and then said, “At least the issue arrived here before the ban went into effect. I haven’t read it yet, but hopefully it doesn’t end in a cliffhanger…” 

As Frank and Gerard kept on talking about comics, Ray turned to Joe and said, “Hi Joe. How’s it going?” 

Joe sighed. “I’m really worried about Pete. It doesn’t seem like he’s doing too well.” 

“He lost his boyfriend,” Frank said. “What did you expect?” 

“Yeah, that must be really hard for him,” Gerard said. “I don’t know what I’d do if Frank died. I’m sure I’d miss him a lot.” 

“I know, but it’s worse than that,” Joe said. “Something’s changed. It’s like...it’s like he’s lost all hope.” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,” Mikey said. “I don’t think he’s left his house at all since Patrick died.” 

Joe nodded and then said, “I want to help him, but I don’t know how.” 

There was a long pause, and then Gerard chimed in. “Frank and I were going to visit him later this afternoon. Maybe everyone could come along. He’s probably lonely now that Patrick’s gone, and I think it would help if he knows that we’re here for him.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” Ray said. 

“I can come too,” Mikey said. “Is there any way we could get him some blue milk pizza? That might cheer him up.”

“The nearest pizza place is light years away. We’d probably have to make it ourselves,” Frank said. 

“I can’t cook to save my life,” Ray said. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you,” Gerard said. “Alright, who’s ready to make some pizza?” 

Everyone cheered, but Joe wasn’t so sure that a pizza would solve Pete’s problems. In all his life, he’d never seen someone so depressed. He felt like there had to be more they could do to help him. 

Pete’s words echoed in his head. _If Patrick can’t overthrow the Empire, then what hope do the rest of us have?_ He still knew the Truwel Rebellion could win - they’d already done a lot to protect the Outer Rim, after all - but Pete had a point. Patrick was an insanely powerful Jedi, and even he couldn’t defeat Darth Vader. None of the rest of them stood a chance against him. 

The war wouldn’t be over any time soon. They’d beat the Empire, even if it would be a death of a thousand cuts. It would be years, decades even, but Joe was sure that the galaxy would be free someday. He only had to convince Pete that he couldn’t give up quite yet. The Truwel Rebellion still had a chance, and more than that, there were still a million reasons to have hope, to smile, to keep on living.

As the others headed into Frank and Gerard’s kitchen and started making pizza, Mikey watched them from a corner, unsure where he would go from here. He hadn’t known Patrick well, not like Pete had, but he’d always seen him as a polite, patient, and caring person. He only wished that he’d gotten to know him better. 

He was worried about Pete though. He’d only seen him a handful of times since Patrick’s death, but even from that, it was clear that Pete was hurting. He hadn’t smiled or cracked a joke in days. Even stealing his glasses would have been an improvement - at least Mikey would have known that Pete still felt alive, that there was a spark of joy in there somewhere. Mikey hated to see his best friend in so much pain. He hated watching him come apart at the seams. A pizza wouldn’t bring Patrick back, but maybe it would help Pete move on. 

“Hey Mikey, could you help us out here?” Gerard asked, and Mikey nodded. 

As he slathered some sauce onto a pizza crust, Mikey said, “I just hope Pete’s okay.” 

“He’s not, but he will be,” Frank said. 

Gerard nodded. “It’s sad that Patrick didn’t make it though. He deserved better.” 

“Definitely, but I’m worried about the Rebellion too,” Frank said. “What are we going to do without Patrick? He was one of our greatest allies. It’s going to be really hard to fight without him.” 

“I don’t know, but I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” Gerard said. “I mean, you’re Fun Ghoul!” 

“Not anymore,” Frank said. When Mikey raised an eyebrow, Frank explained, “I don’t think I would have had the guts to say this three months ago, but I’m way happier fighting for the Rebellion and living on this godforsaken wheat planet with the cutest boy I’ve ever met than I ever was when I was the Most Dangerous Man In The Galaxy. I’m ready to leave those days behind.” 

Frank kissed Gerard, to which Mikey immediately said, “Get a room, you two.” 

When they finally separated, Gerard asked, “Mikey, could you do me a favor and use your Force powers to get us some cheese?” 

Mikey sighed, but he did as he was asked. He let the Force flow through him, and soon, the bag of the cheese came zooming across the room and landed on the table. 

“That was awesome,” Gerard said with a smile. 

“Yeah, could you do it again?” Frank asked. 

Mikey didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he stayed silent as Gerard opened up the bag of blue milk cheese and sprinkled some onto the pizza crust. 

“It’s so cool that you’re a Jedi now, Mikey,” Gerard said. “You’re just like all those characters in True Clone Wars Adventures! Like Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, Patrick…” 

“I wish I’d gotten to know Patrick better,” Mikey said. 

“He was a nice guy,” Ray chimed in. “There’s just so much that I never got the chance to tell him…” 

Gerard gave Ray a quick hug and then said, “You know, the Jedi believe that when we die, we rejoin the Force. I don’t know if that’s true, but if it is...maybe we’ll all meet again someday.” 

“I hope they’re right,” Ray said. 

As Frank slid the pizza into the oven, Mikey thought about Patrick once again. Now that Patrick was gone, he and Pete were the last Jedi left. Sure, Yoda and Obi-Wan were still around, but they weren’t a part of the Rebellion. In Yoda’s words, Mikey had to carry on their traditions. It was up to him to protect the legacy of the Jedi. 

Yet, Mikey didn’t feel like a Jedi. He hadn’t been raised in the temple, he hadn’t fought in the Clone Wars, he hadn’t met any Jedi other than Pete, Patrick, and Yoda. He could use the Force, but he had no real ties to the Jedi Order. He didn’t feel like one of them. 

Maybe Yoda was wrong. Maybe Mikey wasn’t a Jedi at all. Maybe he was never cut out for ancient texts and monastic codes. Maybe he had to find his own way in the galaxy. 

None of that was important now though, not when his best friend was grieving. There were some things his Force powers couldn’t do, and one of them was healing the hole in Pete’s heart. He had to find another way to help Pete. All he wanted was for him to be happy again. Was that too much to ask? 

As soon as the pizza was done, Gerard, Frank, Ray, Mikey, and Joe went over to Pete’s house. Mikey knocked on the door, and he waited, but Pete didn’t answer. 

“I wonder where he is,” Joe said to the others. 

“He’s in there,” Mikey said. “He hasn’t left the house since Patrick died, remember?” 

“Should we try knocking again?” Ray suggested. 

“PETE!” Frank screamed at the top of his lungs. “WE HAVE PIZZA!” 

There was a long silence, and then Pete finally opened the door. His jet black hair was a tangled mess, his eyeliner was running, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “What is it?” he asked. 

“We brought you some pizza!” Frank exclaimed as he handed Pete the pizza. 

“Thanks,” Pete said apathetically. 

“You’re welcome,” Gerard said. “Let us know if you need anything else.” 

“I need personal pan pizzas to come in the form of human beings,” Pete said, much to everyone else’s confusion. “If they did, I’d make mine a Patrick Stump every time.” 

As his eyeliner started to stream down his face again, Pete took his pizza, headed into his bedroom, and slammed the door. Meanwhile, Mikey stood in the doorway, feeling more helpless than ever. After all, if pizza couldn’t make Pete happy, then what could?


	50. Chapter 50

_“There is no hatred, there is love.  
There is no ignorance, there is wisdom.  
There is no fear, there is courage.  
There is no prejudice, there is acceptance.  
There is no violence, there are Hula hoops.  
The Force will show me the way.”  
The Code of Mikey_

Mikey was curled up in bed, ready to fall asleep, when he heard a strange rustling noise. His eyes snapped open, and he immediately reached for his glasses. As he put them on, he spotted a blue glow out of the corner of his eye. At first, he backed away, unsure what was happening, but when he looked closer, he saw that there was no reason to be afraid. 

There was a figure standing in the doorway. He was wearing glasses and a black fedora, and there was a faint blue glow around him. “Patrick?” Mikey said. 

“Hi Mikey,” Patrick said with a smile. “How are you doing?” 

“What are you doing here?” Mikey asked. 

“I wanted to talk to you.” 

“Go talk to Pete. He needs it more.” 

There was a profoundly sad expression on Patrick’s face as he said, “I wish I could.” 

“Why can’t you?” 

Patrick sighed. “I’m a Force Ghost now. I can only appear to those who have a strong connection with the Force, and Pete...I don’t know if I should tell you this, but…” 

“What is it?” 

There was a long pause, and then Patrick said, “Pete’s not Force-sensitive.” 

“He’s not?” Mikey said, confused. “I thought he was a Jedi.” 

“It’s a long story, but my point is that Pete can’t see or hear me,” Patrick said. “Believe me, Mikey, I’d talk to him if I could. I’ve been watching him over the last few days, and it breaks my heart to see Pete like this. I miss him like crazy, and I’d do anything if it meant he could be happy again.” 

Patrick started to tear up, and Mikey wished that he could help him. However, there wasn’t much that he could do. 

As Patrick wiped away his tears, Mikey thought of Pete. All this time, he’d never suspected that Pete wasn’t Force-sensitive. Perhaps he should have seen the signs - had he ever seen Pete use the Force? - but more than anything, he wished that Pete had trusted him enough to tell him. They were friends, after all. Friends weren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other. 

“I can’t talk to Pete, but you can,” Patrick said. “And there’s a lot I want you to tell him.” 

Patrick started telling him everything he wanted to say to Pete, and Mikey listened carefully. It was the least he could do, for both Patrick and Pete. 

When Patrick was finished, he said, “Could you tell Pete all of that?” 

“Of course,” Mikey said. 

“Thank you,” Patrick said. “May the Force be with you, Mikey.” 

“May the Force be with you,” Mikey said, but Patrick had already disappeared. 

Mikey crawled back into bed, and when he stared at the space where Patrick was, he wondered if it was all a dream. Whether it was real or not, he decided that he’d talk to Pete about it. Maybe it would make Pete feel better, knowing that Patrick was a ghost now, or maybe it would only make things worse, knowing that he could never talk to him. Either way, Pete deserved to hear what Patrick had to say. 

He closed his eyes, and he let his thoughts drift away as he fell asleep. 

As soon as he woke up the next day, Mikey went to Pete’s house. He knocked on the door, eager to see his best friend again, and a few minutes later, Pete opened it. 

“Leave me alone,” Pete said as he slammed the door in Mikey’s face. 

“Wait!” Mikey shouted. “I just want to talk.” 

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I talked to Patrick last night.” 

“Patrick’s dead,” Pete said, but he did open the door a crack. 

“He’s a Force ghost now,” Mikey said. “He wishes he could talk to you. There’s a lot he has to say, and I’ll tell you everything, if you’re willing to listen.” 

Pete opened the door all the way, and as he wiped away his tears, he asked Mikey, “What...what did Patrick say?” 

“He wants you to keep fighting,” Mikey said. “He knows you’re hurting, but you can’t give up yet.”

“But it’s my fault that he’s dead,” Pete argued. “I destroy everything I touch, and I did everything I could to keep Patrick from getting hurt, but now he’s gone, and…” 

“Patrick said it’s not your fault,” Mikey said. “You can’t throw your life away because of him. The Rebellion still needs you.” 

“The Rebellion’s a lost cause. If Patrick can’t defeat the Empire, nobody can.” 

“Actually, Patrick talked about that too. He said we’ll win someday, but it’s going to be a long time. We have to keep fighting for what’s right though. All of us. If we do, we might finally overthrow the Empire.” 

“How does he know that?” 

“Yoda told him, apparently,” Mikey said. There was a brief pause and then Mikey said, “There’s one more thing.” 

“What is it?” 

“Patrick thinks that I should have his lightsaber.” 

“You know, I was thinking the same thing,” Pete said. “I already have my own, and honestly, I don’t think I’d trust anyone else with it. I mean, imagine Frank with a lightsaber!” He laughed, but it sounded quite forced.

Pete started walking into another room, and Mikey followed him. Eventually, he opened up one of his dresser drawers, where there was Pete’s copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ , a black fedora, and a lightsaber. 

“They’re burning everything else that was left of him tomorrow,” Pete said. “It’s a Jedi tradition, apparently, but I wanted to keep the hat. I...I just felt like I needed something to remember him by. I miss him so much…” 

As Pete’s eyeliner started to run again, Mikey gave him a hug. “I think we all do,” he said. “He seemed like a really nice guy.” 

“That’s because he was,” Pete said as he let go of Mikey. “He was the sweetest boy in the galaxy. Even when Patrick was just done with me and my antics, he would save my life in a heartbeat if he had to. He did that for everyone, really. He was kind and loyal to a fault, he would stand by your side when everyone else would turn their backs, and I never had anyone who treated me like that before. I think that’s what I loved most about him.” 

“He loves you a lot,” Mikey said. 

“I love him too,” Pete said. “Make sure you tell him that next time you see him, okay?” 

“I will, but I think he already knows.” 

Pete reached into the drawer, pulled out his copy of _Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters_ and Patrick’s lightsaber, and handed both the book and the weapon to Mikey. “I think you deserve to have these,” he said. 

“Thank you, Pete,” Mikey said. He ignited the lightsaber, and he admired the blue-green blade, the same color as Patrick’s eyes. With a lightsaber in his hands, he felt strong, powerful, like he could do anything. 

“You’re welcome,” Pete said. “It’s just crazy that you’re a real Jedi now.” 

“Actually, I’m not sure if I want to be a Jedi.” 

“Wait, really?” 

“Really,” Mikey said. “I don’t want to live by their codes anymore. I’d rather live by the Code of Mikey.” 

“But who’s going to keep the Jedi Order going?” 

“You could.” 

“But Mikey...I...I’m not…” 

“I know,” Mikey said. “But you’re smart, and you’re strong, and you know all the lore, and as Yoda put it, you’re everything a Jedi should be. If you want to be a Jedi Knight, I don’t see why you can’t be one.” 

“I guess so,” Pete said. “I just don’t think I can be like Patrick. I can’t live up to that.” 

“I don’t think either of us will ever be like Patrick, but we can still beat the Empire,” Mikey said. “As long as we stick together, we can smash the sadness.” 

For the first time in a long time, Pete smiled, and it seemed like there was hope for the galaxy at last.


End file.
